vstars Chapter 147 Split into Two Groups
Chapter 147 Split into Two Groups
Gu Liang raised an eyebrow.
Her dejection did not escape his notice.
He lowered his head, stared into her eyes, and pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry, I'm going to take you back to Kyoto."
"Don't you still have the Qionghua Banquet?"
Jiang Zhi's eyes flickered. "How long do I have to wait? Do I need any more help?"
She abruptly changed the subject and looked up.
Gu Liang then got down to business, saying, "You should go to Chong'an Prefecture first, to the Hongying Inn, and wait for my news there."
"But are four people enough for you?" Jiang Zhi asked subconsciously.
Gu Liang didn't bring many people with her when she left the capital this time; including Bai Wuyou, there were only eight people.
This number of people is more than enough for ordinary travel, and even encountering bandits and robbers is no problem.
But they were facing the Northern Di people, who were ferocious and had all sorts of strange and unusual tricks up their sleeves. There was no telling how many of them were hiding in the mountains.
I'm afraid this trip wasn't just the work of the Northern Barbarians.
“They won’t have too many people going into the mountains,” Gu Liang said. “Since they’re disguised as merchants, there won’t be many of them, probably no more than twenty, so they can avoid the attention of the border patrol soldiers.”
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, then said, "You should be careful too."
Because she was also worried that it wasn't just the Northern Di people who were responsible.
Her expression was unreadable. "I know you're skilled, but right now the enemy is in the shadows while we're in the open. We must not be careless."
Besides giving instructions, there didn't seem to be anything else she could do.
Gu Liang embraced her again, this time with great force, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
"Once you arrive in Chong'an Prefecture, someone will meet you."
"It's someone I know."
Upon hearing the word "acquaintance" and seeing his confident demeanor, Jiang Zhi felt much calmer.
The village guards and Bai Wuyou arrived one after another, and after hearing Gu Liang's arrangements, they all had no objections.
Bai Wuyou took out several bottles of medicine from his sleeve and distributed them to everyone, saying, "If you find anything wrong, take them immediately to prevent poisoning."
Jiaoyue handed a long sword to Gu Liang, "Your Highness, this is your sword."
Gu Liang took the sword, glanced at Jiang Zhi, and waited for Jiang Zhi to nod before giving the order.
The five of them headed straight for the mountain path.
Jiang Zhi stood there, watching their departing figures.
But Gu Liang kept looking back, his tall figure quickly blending into the night and disappearing from sight.
Jiang Zhi slowly exhaled a long breath and said to Bai Wuyou, "Let's go too."
-
Gu Liang and his companions listened to the results of the interrogation conducted by the guards on the road.
"Seventeen of them came on this trip, disguised as cloth merchants, to enter the border and try to find out the strength of the Northern army."
"His Highness Prince Jing's men were found among the dead bodies."
"Gu Yuan's army?" Gu Liang asked upon hearing this.
“Yes, Your Highness,” the guard continued. “His Highness Prince Jing’s men also headed north. They were resting in Green Willow Village when they were encountered by the Northern Di people. They recognized the medicinal herbs and ironware on the cart and decided to kill and rob them. So they poisoned the well in the village.”
“But isn’t he cooperating with the Northern Di?” Xingluo asked.
Gu Liang snorted, "Then why do you think he would take medicinal herbs and ironware north?"
Xingluo remained silent.
"Also, the leader is named Wei Zhao, whose martial arts skills are mediocre. The one with the best martial arts skills is another deputy general, who was given to him by Wei Zhuo before he left."
“Mo Yundu?” Gu Liang pondered. “I know him. He’s Wei Zhuo’s cousin. He doesn’t actually work. Wei Zhuo supports him only to win people’s hearts.”
"Your Highness, if we encounter them, should we capture them alive or kill them?"
"Take care of yourselves first," Gu Liang instructed. "They can leave as soon as they get the goods, so there must be something fishy going on in the meantime."
"Perhaps it's to attract His Highness's attention?" Jiaoyue guessed.
Gu Liang looked up at the bright moon in the sky. "They met at noon, and several hours have passed. If they hadn't succeeded, they should have retreated long ago. They shouldn't have lingered in the mountains for so long."
On the other side of the mountain, a wind-blown cliff exposed half of its rock.
There is a cave at the bottom of the cliff, about half a person's height, and its depth is unfathomable.
Several people dressed as traveling merchants carried withered branches and leaves and threw them into the cave entrance.