The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1714 - 837 Xuanping Marquis Arrives (First Watch)_2

Chapter 1714: 837 Xuanping Marquis Arrives (First Watch)_2

Don’t punish me, don’t punish me, I’ve just managed to rise up, I can’t be sent back to the cold bench again...

"Oh, alright."

Gu Jiao sat back down on the cushion.

Master Hu clutched his chest in shock, almost thinking he was doomed...

Gu Jiao’s meal was simple, two pieces of steamed bread, some pickled vegetables. Today, the reserve camp slaughtered a pig, making cabbage braised pork for the military officers. Master Hu saved a bowl for Gu Jiao as well.

War consumes energy, and appetite increases. Gu Jiao devoured the food on the table, leaving nothing behind, much to the wide-eyed astonishment of Master Hu.

Gu Jiao went to the wounded soldiers’ camp.

Chang Wei’s situation was special, with a possibility of an attack rebound. He was placed in a separate wounded soldiers’ camp, guarded by two Hei Fengqi cavalrymen.

When Gu Jiao entered, the medical officer’s attendant was feeding him porridge.

He turned his face away in refusal, leaving the attendant in a dilemma.

"You can leave," Gu Jiao said to the attendant.

"Yes," the attendant put down the bowl of porridge and left.

Gu Jiao approached the bedside, looking at Chang Wei indifferently: "Awake quite quickly."

Chang Wei turned his head, glaring coldly at Gu Jiao, his bloodless lips uttering a weak yet assertive voice: "Kill or torture, do as you please. But anything else, you can forget about it."

Gu Jiao crossed her hands behind her back, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I’m curious, why are you so loyal to the Nangong Family? They’re rebels against the court, does that not concern you?"

Chang Wei replied coldly, "Stop spouting nonsense here. Who’s the rebel isn’t clear yet. If the sovereign is ruthless, naturally we don’t need to serve him any longer."

Sovereign, oh sovereign, look at the disaster you’ve caused.

Gu Jiao said, "The sovereign is ruthless, so the Nangong Family has virtue? How much do you know about the Xuanyuan Family being framed back then? Yes, the sovereign harbored ill intentions towards the Xuanyuan Family, killing donkeys after the grinding. He’s not worth serving. But do you think the Nangong Family are any good? If it weren’t for the Nangong and the Han Families betraying the Xuanyuan clan to the court, how could they have destroyed the Xuanyuan lineage with their limited forces?"

Chang Wei mocked, "You think your lies will make me believe you?"

Gu Jiao added, "Just one question: If the Nangong Family betrays the nation, will you still pledge allegiance to them?"

Chang Wei turned away: "That’s none of your business!"

This was an evasive reaction.

It seems that Chang Wei’s service to the Nangong Family was due not only to their gratitude but also to his dissatisfaction with the sovereign’s cruelty and tyranny.

However, it seemed he had no intention of colluding or betraying the nation, nor did he know of any conspiracies between the Nangong Family and the Liang Country.

Finding evidence now was too late.

She had only three days to convince Chang Wei.

If after three days, Chang Wei remained resolute in refusing to join forces against the enemy, Quyang City might fall.

...

Southern Yan Country.

In order to reach Chishui Pass as quickly as possible, Duke Anguo and Auntie and their party chose the water route after leaving Hu City.

Wang Xu accompanied them, and they boarded the navy warships of Yamen Port.

If the journey went smoothly, they would arrive at Chishui Pass within five days.

Auntie was obviously dissatisfied with this progress.

She was terribly worried about Jiaojiao.

All alone at the border pass, who knows how much hardship she’s enduring, how many battles, how much bloodshed, and how many injuries!

"Is there no shortcut?" she asked.

The old wine master asked the question again in the language of Yan Country.

Wang Xu already knew these were honored guests of the Duke Residence. He politely cupped his hands and said, "There is, but it’s a bit risky; it’s not within Yan Country’s waters, and we rarely pass through there."

Auntie gave a piercing glance, and the old wine master immediately understood, continuing to ask Wang Xu in Yan Country’s language, "How much quicker would it be via that route?"

"Two days to arrive," Wang Xu said.

"Then take that route!" Auntie decided resolutely.

Wang Xu looked at Duke Anguo across from him.

Duke Anguo wrote, "Agree."

His concern for Gu Jiao’s safety was the same as Auntie’s, in that three days in a peaceful area was nothing, but at a battle-ridden border, it meant life or death for thousands.

Duke Anguo was a special envoy, and Wang Xu had no choice but to follow his lead on major decisions.

Reluctantly, he said, "But if something happens on the way, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Wang Xu’s ominous words proved prophetic the same afternoon they took the shortcut; their three warships were surrounded by pirates.

The pirates were all tall and fierce, with the soldiers on the warships almost unable to resist these formidable foes.

Finally, the pirates broke through the ship’s defenses and boarded the vessel carrying Duke Anguo and others.

The pirate leader raised his scimitar: "Brothers! Attack! Kill all the men! Seize all the women! Capture all the children!"

This man stood seven feet tall, with a strong build and a powerful aura. He wore a small cloth patch over his right eye, reminding everyone of the legendary pirate Cyclops.

He himself didn’t join the fight; instead, one of his men demonstrated exceptional swiftness and high martial skills, knocking down two or three with each move. Before long, all the guards on the deck were thrown into the sea by the small pirate.

Wang Xu drew his long sword and slashed at the small pirate’s back.

Unexpectedly, he didn’t even graze the small pirate, who turned and stomped violently, pinning Wang Xu underfoot!

Wang Xu lay on the deck, vomiting blood: "...Even pirates have such high martial arts now?"

The small pirate dealt with all the guards.

The pirate leader curled his lips in delight, approached Wang Xu with arrogant steps, and spoke in broken Yan Country’s language: "Robbery! Hand over the gold!"

The small pirate expressionlessly stood on Wang Xu’s face.

Wang Xu gritted his teeth: "I...would rather die...than surrender..."

"Such a stubborn mouth." The pirate leader casually pointed at the cabin where Auntie and her party were and boasted, "Then I guess I’ll have to kill them all!"

No sooner had he spoken.

A round little head peeked out from the cabin.

The owner of the little head looked at the pirate leader, and with big blinking eyes, said, "Little chick monkey!"