Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 171 - 134: Entering Jiang Family Village, Meeting Jiang Fugui_2

Chapter 171: Chapter 134: Entering Jiang Family Village, Meeting Jiang Fugui_2

But he didn’t feel there was anything wrong with himself.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came through.

"It’s been a while, have you and your son turned against each other?"

Jiang Jucai suddenly turned around, only to see an ordinary-looking man carrying his brother, followed by a group of "strange people" of various appearances.

Maintaining an illusion through spell would consume mana, although not too much, but it’s better to save a bit whenever possible.

A Goddess in fluttering white clothes with an indiscernible face, a mischievous short-haired girl carrying a Sword Box, and a very handsome yet sinister-looking man.

Behind them was another unremarkable man holding a sword, Qin Mian.

Apart from the woman in white whose face couldn’t be seen, the other two looked too beautiful for mortals, rightfully earning the title of strange people. People judged by appearances, especially in ancient times, where being too ugly in the imperial examinations could result in failure.

Chi Yu Zi, feeling someone’s gaze, instinctively wanted to say "I’ll gouge out your eyes."

But remembering that this was someone Gu Wen knew, he simply turned his head impatiently and stamped his foot.

"Mr. Wen?"

Jiang Jucai found it hard to believe, while Mrs. Jiang, seeing this, immediately exclaimed and banged on the door, "Master, Mr. Wen is here! Mr. Wen is here!"

From inside the room, a voice came out, "Even if it were the Emperor himself today, I wouldn’t open the door!"

He had also seemingly grown younger.

Gu Wen tugged at the corners of his mouth, heightening his voice slightly, "Fugui, it’s me."

The room fell silent for a while, followed by a burst of noise, then the door was suddenly flung open.

Upon seeing Gu Wen standing in the courtyard, Jiang Fugui’s eyes brimmed with tears, and he rushed over in three hurried steps. Gu Wen quickly pressed his hand against Jiang Fugui’s forehead to stop him from throwing himself on him.

"Master! You finally came!!!"

The greatest landlord of Jiang Family Village, the father of the recently famous silver-armored young general, now cried shamelessly clinging to Gu Wen’s legs.

The people around were all taken aback, especially Jiang Jucai, who knew his father’s loyal devotion to Gu Wen but had never imagined it to be this profound.

That servant curse was not unjust.

So he thought, but he didn’t say it aloud.

And how could Jiang Fugui not be emotional, living in a chaotic world, Gu Wen was his only support.

Whether the several hundred acres of farmland of Jiang Family Village could be kept was not up to him or Jiang Jucai, nor the young and strong men of the village, but up to Gu Wen. In chaotic times, it was capability, not reason, that mattered; lacking it meant being devoured.

He had also seen the world at Dragon Bridge in Bianjing and clearly knew the difference between his son and those from the Nanchun Army.

Gu Wen, looking at Jiang Fugui who was now a mess of snot and tears, really wanted to slap his forehead, but considering his children and wife were there, he needed to preserve some dignity for him.

He was still very considerate of others.

Dragging the sobbing Jiang Fugui back into the house, he let his wife properly comfort him while he wiped his tears.

Gu Wen then naturally took the main seat in the hall, with Yu Hua sitting on the right.

Chi Yu Zi and Jun Yan sat on the left, both closing their eyes to rest, uninterested in mortal affairs.

Meanwhile, Qin Mian and Jiang Fugui’s family all stood, as status sometimes was invisible, needing no explanation.

Perhaps it was youthful impulsiveness, but Jiang Jucai came over to the right side and just sat down, immediately feeling a mountainous pressure slamming down on his head.

Chi Yu Zi and Jun Yan opened their eyes, the former looking at him with some confusion, the latter just giving him a few glances.

No malice, just a puzzlement, wondering how this mortal dared to sit down.

But merely a subconscious slight disagreement made Jiang Jucai, the mortal, feel as if he had fallen into an ice pit.

The chair beneath him seemed as if it had thorns, and he sprang up.

Jiang Fugui finally noticed him and scolded, "What a disrespectful brat, did Mr. Wen allow you to sit?"

Can’t I sit wherever I want in my own house?

Stubborn as always, Jiang Jucai’s temper flared, and he sat back down with a thud, immediately feeling dizzy and lightheaded from palpitations.

"Alright, let him sit, it’s not a big deal."

Gu Wen waved his hand, naturally grasping the rebellious nature of this young man, but no one would get angry over a puppy showing its teeth.

His voice seemed to carry some sort of spell, and suddenly Jiang Jucai felt no pressure at all, looking around in a confused manner.

Chi Yu Zi and Jun Yan closed their eyes again, no longer bothering with this mortal.

Gu Wen talked with Jiang Fugui, mostly about the latter’s experiences over the past three months. Compared to Qin Mian, he was relatively fortunate.

Before the world fell into chaos, he had entered Nanshui, and after it erupted, he rapidly transferred ownership of the surrounding lands. Things that couldn’t be obtained with money in the past could be managed after the death of the Crown Prince.

For instance, land consolidation which couldn’t be done openly before, but now could be arranged without official deeds just by bribing the authorities.

After the Nanchun Army captured the ferry, it worsened; one could buy any land with money, but using large sums of money would most likely lead to being exploited.

Meanwhile, Gu Wen confirmed something: the death of the Crown Prince couldn’t be concealed, but the details of his death were suppressed by Daqian. At least in Nanshui, they only knew about the wanted criminal without knowing that Gu Wen had killed the Crown Prince.

Regarding this, Gu Wen had no intention of making it clear, as it served no purpose and might alternatively scare Jiang Fugui.

So far, Jiang Fugui had only done one thing: during his journey south, he bought a large amount of grain and then secretly transported it back to Jiang Family Village. Over the next three months, he busied himself with farming and secretly forging iron tools, knives, and spears.

These were all standard operations many local powerhouses undertook.

The further away from the capital, the worse the trend of forming private armies.

Then there was the matter of Jiang Jucai joining the Nanchun Army, to which Jiang Fugui reacted fiercely, scolding his son as if looking for a parent to complain to.

"Mr. Wen, you must discipline this scoundrel properly; he’s completely defiant!"

"I..."

Jiang Jucai wanted to retort but suddenly froze under the gaze that Gu Wen cast at him, not that any transcendent power was involved; it wasn’t worth the bother.

But the presence of everyone looking up to him created an invisible pressure, like when the Emperor sat on his throne, and all ministers had their heads bowed, with very few daring to look up.

This power is called authority.

With a calm tone, Gu Wen said, "Jucai, tell us your opinion."

Jiang Jucai hesitated for a moment, then promptly stood and replied, "Mr. Wen, now the Daqian Dynasty is in disarray, the national power wanes daily, the official army is in shambles, and their equipment is in tatters. I serve as the deputy commander of Ma Jun, leading a hundred men to charge against thousands. Every soldier who faces me flees upon sight."

Slowly, the eldest son of the Jiang family seemed to regain his confidence, holding his head even higher as he recounted his own experiences.

But everyone around him was no ordinary person, and since his parents did not support him from beginning to end, no one offered much feedback.

Gu Wen quietly waited for him to finish, then asked, "Specifically, who makes up these official forces?"

"Naturally, those from notable military families."

"A thousand from notable families, tens of thousands?"

"..."

Jiang Jucai was suddenly at a loss for words.