Chapter 1751: 855 Qingge fell off the horse
The man’s whole body stiffened.
In the next moment, he calmly walked forward: "You’ve mistaken me for someone else."
Gu Jiao turned around, gazing at the back silhouette of him without stopping, and said, "Your mom is here."
The man didn’t pause in his steps, continuing striding into the night.
Gu Jiao continued, "Your mom truly came. The Princess is leading the army on behalf of the emperor, and the court’s forces have stationed in Quyang City. If she finds out you’re staying comfortably outside of Shengdu but running to the border to be an outlaw, she will whip you!"
The man clenched his fists and kept walking forward.
Gu Jiao added, "Ye Qing from the National Master Hall also came."
The man finally reached the limit of his tolerance; suppressed emotions erupted instantly, turning around and furiously said, "Ahhh! How did you recognize me!"
Gu Jiao innocently blinked: "I didn’t recognize you, just tricked you."
Shangguan Qing: "...??"
Gu Jiao spread her hands: "Well, actually, just a little bit."
The way you appeared is identical to your dad, and your three thousand ghost soldiers—do you know that your dad also has an army of three thousand ghost faces?
With this logic, who says you’re not his biological son?
Moreover, when Gu Jiao entered the Jungle, she noticed something odd, including her and Tang Yueshan mysteriously losing each other. It seemed that there’s an array hidden in the Jungle.
Art of Qimen Dunjia, extremely resembling the masterful skill of a certain National Master.
More importantly—
"Look, this." Gu Jiao raised her hand, opening her palm, revealing a token of Dayan’s royal family.
Shangguan Qing looked at the token, then at his empty pouch, his entire body fuming again: "When did you steal my token? I rescued you out of goodwill! Yet you took advantage of me! You have no conscience!"
Gu Jiao pouted: "You looked like an easy target to steal from... Couldn’t resist the temptation."
Shangguan Qing: "...!!"
Shangguan Qing decided to show this intruder some respect, as the Ghost King’s authority is not to be challenged!
He spread his arms wide, with a jolt from his body, the branches and leaves on the surrounding trees began to move without wind.
Tremble now, intruder!
Gu Jiao didn’t even lift her eyelids, glanced up, approached a large tree, and casually tugged on a rope, pulling it downward.
"Ah—"
A little ghost was pulled down from the tree.
Shangguan Qing was not one to give up easily; he slapped his palm onto the tree behind him, which began to seep blood.
Gu Jiao made a sound of acknowledgment, lifted her index finger, and poked into a tree hollow.
The blood that was about to flow: whimpered, couldn’t flow... anymore.
Shangguan Qing trembled with anger: "Seems like you’re forcing me to use my secret move!"
"Are you talking about this?" Gu Jiao bent down, reached into the grass, and tugged on a skeletal claw, hanging a bewildered little ghost below it.
The little ghost activated the mechanism in its hand, making the skeletal claw scratch around twice, click, clack.
The scene plunged into a dead silence.
Seeing the situation, the little ghost wisely abandoned its tool... Uh, ghost claw, and sneaked away!
Gu Jiao considered for a moment, generously returned the ghost claw to Shangguan Qing: "Here you go."
Shangguan Qing: "..."
Shangguan Qing gritted his teeth and grabbed the ghost claw, tossing it sideways, hitting the eavesdropper, Little Black Impermanence, who quietly left, clutching the ghost claw.
Shangguan Qing looked at Gu Jiao coldly: "Just who are you? Did the old man send you? A new disciple from the National Master Hall? Haven’t seen you before!"
Seems you are indeed familiar with the National Master Hall, no wonder mastering its arts looking like half an isekai traveler.
I am your sister-in-law.
Gu Jiao said, "I’m the new commander of Hei Fengqi, surname Xiao."
When Shangguan Qing heard Xiao as the surname of Hei Fengqi’s new commander, he didn’t show a complicated expression, suggesting that he either didn’t know, or he hadn’t thought much into it.
Whether Xiao Qing knew his own identity, Shangguan Yun didn’t say. Gu Jiao assumed he didn’t know yet; naturally, she wouldn’t take it upon herself to reveal it.
Shangguan Qing glanced behind Gu Jiao: "Hei Fengqi also came?"
Gu Jiao replied, "Not in Pu City, they’re in Quyang."
Shangguan Qing: "Oh."
Gu Jiao asked, "Who gave you the pistol?"
Shangguan Qing rolled his eyes: "Can’t I invent it myself?"
Gu Jiao glanced at the pistol in his hand: "It’s already rusted; I fear it’s older than you."
Shangguan Qing boldly declared: "I don’t care, it’s invented by me!"
Discovering only a tiny variance, by rounding up, it’s the invention!
"Oh." Gu Jiao raised her eyebrows, looking at the people clearing the Battlefield in the forest, "Then, are the ghost soldiers and their armor also invented by you?"
Shangguan Qing said: "The armor was found in Back Mountain."
Just as Gu Jiao guessed, this place is where Xuanyuan Jun is buried, hence the numerous broken Xuanyuan Armor here.
"As for those ghost soldiers." Shangguan Qing began to walk back the way he came, speaking as he walked, "Some were bandits at the border pass, whom I subdued."
Gu Jiao caught up with him, walked for a while before understanding what the "some" he mentioned meant, because there clearly were still "some" here.
Behind the jungle is a valley, nestled against three large mountains, with a small river meandering through the valley, and a small bridge connecting the jungle to the little village in the valley.
The village is divided in two, one side where the ghost soldiers reside, and the other where the villagers live.
This village is evidently newly built, its straw huts all new.
The ghost soldiers returned victorious and took off their armor, while the villagers lit bonfires in the open space, where adults worked and children played joyfully nearby.
In stark contrast to the war-torn Pu City, this place is practically a utopia.
Shangguan Qing remarked in a soft voice, "They are citizens of the city ravaged by war, and villagers whose villages were burned. Since the Jin army won’t treat them as humans, let them be ghosts then."
No wonder the killing intent towards the Jin army is so unmerciful; it turns out they have witnessed the atrocities of the Jin army.
"Shangguan Qing."
"What?"
"I’m praising you."
I imagined what you might be like countless times, but I didn’t expect you to be this kind of Shangguan Qing.
Though poisoned since childhood, causing your body to be less strong, you have a smart mind and a kind and resilient heart.
In a limited lifetime, you’ve created endless possibilities and saved many lives.
"Who, who wants your praise!" Shangguan Qing turned his face away, his ears suddenly reddening.
Gu Jiao looked at his red ears and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Just like Xiao Hen, he blushes when complimented!
"The Ghost King has returned!" A villager heard the youth’s carefree laughter and looked over, seeing Shangguan Qing bringing back a stranger. Instead of being surprised, he smiled and said, "Is there a newcomer joining us today?"
He seemed very welcoming.
Most of them had once been in desperate situations and were welcomed here by their predecessors.
They too welcome newcomers.
Shangguan Qing clasped his hands behind his back, glanced at Gu Jiao, and told the middle-aged male villager, "No, he’s just passing through and accidentally stumbled into our woods. He’ll leave tomorrow."
The villager exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, but... outside is dangerous."
He wasn’t questioning whether Gu Jiao would disclose their hideout if he left, but rather concerned about the danger Gu Jiao might encounter outside.
They are all simple and kind-hearted villagers.
"This young man is very capable!"
Little Hei Wu Chang appeared out of nowhere, clutching that ghost claw.
"Where’s your tongue?" the villager asked him.
Oh dear!
Lost it!
Little Hei Wu Chang fled in embarrassment once again!
Gu Jiao looked at Shangguan Qing with a smile.
Shangguan Qing said with feigned sternness, "Hmph, as His Highness I just needed some labor, and once the battle is over, I’ll have them all go mine for me! Daily mining! Mining without sleep! I’ll squeeze out their last bit of value!"
"Hug, hug."
A toddler, teetering as she walked, approached with outstretched little arms asking for a hug.
Shangguan Qing sighed helplessly, picked her up, and with his fingertips removed a black sesame seed from by her lips: "Xiaoyin, you’ve sneaked snacks again. No candy for you tonight, understand?"
The one and a half-year-old Xiaoyin nestled in Shangguan Qing’s arms.
She lost her father in the flames of war.
She’s too young to comprehend what it means, but every night, as she sleeps in Shangguan Qing’s arms, it’s as if she regains that missing sense of security.
Xiaoyin dozed off comfortably in Shangguan Qing’s embrace.
Her ten-year-old brother came running over and took her away.
Shangguan Qing again broadened Gu Jiao’s understanding.
Assumed to be an unserious person, upon meeting, his methods for dealing with the Jin army sure seemed unorthodox, yet behind this unorthodox façade lies compassion and tenderness for the common folk.
This must come from Shangguan Yun; Shangguan Yun has raised this son exceptionally well.
Shangguan Qing added, "By the way, your companion fainted, not scared by us, he knocked himself out."
A ghost-fearing Tang Yueshan realized Gu Jiao was missing, hurried to find him, and ran headlong into the trap of the black wall.
Shangguan Qing continued, "Our men brought him back, you can see him shortly. You’ll rest in the village tonight, tomorrow morning I’ll send you out of the city."
Indeed the man buying sugar-coated hawthorns in the morning was him.
"May I look around?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Sure." Shangguan Qing glanced north of the village, "Except for the mountain behind."
"Why?" Gu Jiao asked, puzzled.
Shangguan Qing’s expression suddenly turned complex: "Because inside... lives the true Ghost King!"