Ge Pangxiao was prepared to flatter his eldest brother when he was practicing his swordsmanship early in the morning. Unexpectedly, before he could even say anything, this happened first. He was so scared that he turned into a quail on the spot. He stood at the side stupidly and did not even dare to breathe loudly.
Changgeng looked like he did not sleep well early in the morning. His face was pale with a hint of green. The corner of his eyes twitched slightly. After looking deeply at Gu Yun, he slowly lowered the tip of his sword and said in a low voice with restraint, "I made a mistake and offended Marquis."
Gu Yun rubbed his chin and did not dare to laugh.
He tentatively raised his hand and wanted to put it on Changgeng's back as usual. As expected, Changgeng avoided it.
Changgeng said coldly, "Marquis, please come in."
Gu Yun awkwardly retracted his hand and coughed dryly, "Changgeng, wait."
Changgeng heard Gu Yun calling his name and his footsteps subconsciously stopped. He saw Gu Yun turn around and waved his hand behind him. The few people who were carrying the box immediately walked in uniformly and placed the box in the courtyard. At the same time, they retreated and knelt in a row on one knee.
"Marshal."
Gu Yun stretched out his hand and gestured for the soldiers to get up. Then, he personally went forward and opened the lock on the box. His hand pressed on the complicated lock as if he was insincerely teasing a child with a broken rattle drum and deliberately mystifying things. He turned around and smiled at Changgeng, "Come, I'll show you something good."
With a click, the box lid sprang open. Ge Pangxiao pulled Changgeng. Seeing Changgeng's indifferent face, he could not hold back his curiosity and went forward to take a look. He immediately exclaimed in surprise.
He saw a set of silver heavy armor lying quietly in the chest. The armor was flawless, and its lines were so smooth that they were almost dazzling. It was so beautiful that it was frightening. Compared to it, those heavy armors that the barbarians had obtained from god knows where looked like clumsy iron lumps.
Gu Yun said proudly, "I asked a master from the Lingshu Temple to custom-make this. The burning efficiency of Violet Gold is twice as high as that of heavy armor of the same level. The joints are reinforced, so it won't get stuck in the sleeves like those barbarians' lousy toys. It's a masterpiece, much better than the set I used when I was young. It's just that it doesn't have a name yet … You should be old enough to have your own name, so you can give it your nickname."
Other than being dazzled by the light of the heavy armor at the beginning, Changgeng's face did not have any other expression, especially when he heard Gu Yun's suggestion that he name the heavy armor "Changgeng".
He did not know when the two words "Changgeng" became so popular. Xiu Niang, Hu Ge 'er, Gu Yun, they all had a soft spot for his nickname.
Before his enemy, whom he treated as his biological mother, died, she gave him a dose of poison that drove him crazy and named it "Changgeng". Before his adoptive father, whom he wanted to take care of for his whole life, died, he gave him a set of unparalleled heavy armor and suggested that he name it "Changgeng".
Was there a more ironic coincidence than this?
In short, the gifted Gu Dashuai had once again succeeded in "touching the pot that doesn't boil" without him knowing it.
Changgeng's long silence made the people around him uneasy. Ge Pangxiao walked over with small steps and tugged at the corner of Changgeng's clothes. "Big Brother, aren't you going to put it on and take a look? The first time I saw heavy armor was with that group of barbarians that day. "
Changgeng suddenly lowered his head, turned around and went back into the house without saying a word, and slammed the door.
Gu Yun's smile gradually became a little bitter. He stood at the entrance of the courtyard, looking a little helpless. However, he quickly recovered and found a way out for himself in a self-deprecating manner. "It's my first time being someone's adoptive father. I didn't do well, please excuse me."
A black-armored soldier came forward and asked, "Marshal, this armor …"
"Put it … uh, put it in the outer room for him. Give him the key later." Gu Yun paused, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he gave up and said, "Forget it."
He was dressed in indigo casual clothes. His clothes were thin, and his body did not seem to be very thick. He had spent a lot of effort to curry favor, but his flattery had backfired. He could only worry about the closed door in front of him, looking a little pitiful.
Shen Yi saw this scene and could not help but criticize silently, "Aren't you arrogant? You've kicked an iron plate this time, haven't you? You deserve it! "
Ge Pangxiao felt a little uncomfortable in his heart. He scratched his head and said, "Uncle Shi Liu …"
Gu Yun touched Ge Pangxiao's forehead and forced a smile. "It's okay, you guys go play by yourselves."
After that, he turned around and strode over to Shen Yi. He forcefully dragged Shen Yi far away and whispered, "Weren't you very happy when you gave him the iron bracelet last time? Why didn't it work this time?"
Shen Yi looked to the side and saw that there was no one around. He said bluntly and sarcastically, "Marshal, are you treating him like a wooden club? Do you always use the same trick?"
Gu Yun was a little anxious. "Don't make sarcastic remarks. Then what do you think we should do?"
Shen Yi rolled his eyes. "You see, you've done such a big thing in Beijiang and kept it from him for so long. He's been loyal to you, but what about you? He now thinks that you're pretending to be deaf and blind to deceive him. Also, his biological mother, who raised him since he was a child, is a Bei Man spy. Now that she's gone, maybe she was forced to death by you … "
"Bullshit," Gu Yun interrupted him. "People like the grassland witch must have known that they wanted to succeed before she was willing to commit suicide. If she had known that I was here, she would have understood that they had no chance. She wouldn't have died."
Shen Yi pondered over his words for a while. He didn't understand the cause and effect of this. He only understood that Marshal Gu's words were "the heroes of the world, if not me". What did he mean by "knowing that he was here, she would have understood that she had no chance"?
He was simply hopeless.
Shen Yi didn't want to pay attention to him, so he said perfunctorily, "Let him stay quietly by himself for a few days. Don't bother him with the way you coax a concubine. Wait for him to come back to his senses."
Gu Yun said, "I don't have a concubine."
Shen Yi sneered. "Yes, you don't even have a wife."
Gu Yun kicked him.
However, after taking two steps, Marshal Gu thought about it again. He felt that this was exactly what he wanted. It just so happened that he was too lazy to return to the capital.
But with a little prince, he couldn't always stay in Yanhui. He changed his mind slightly and came up with a bad idea.
Gu Yun said to Shen Yi, "It just so happens that the memorial from last night hasn't been sent out yet. Go back and change it. Say that His Highness the Fourth Prince is pure and filial. Although it's difficult to be both loyal and filial, he put righteousness before family for the sake of the country and the people. However, after the incident, he was too grieved and fell ill. We will rest in Yanhui for a while and wait for His Highness to recover before returning to the capital. We must write it reasonably and strive to make the Emperor cry. "
Shen Yi was speechless.
If he could beat him, he would have beaten him to tears with his own hands.
Unfortunately, man's calculations couldn't keep up with God's plans.
The next day, when Gu Yun was leaning on the wall to watch Changgeng practice swordsmanship, a Black Eagle suddenly delivered an urgent golden token. Gu Yun only took a glance and his expression changed.
The Emperor was critically ill and summoned the Marquis of Stability to bring the Fourth Prince back quickly.
Gu Yun flipped over and jumped down from the wall. Changgeng vaguely heard him instructing someone outside the courtyard, "Tell Jiping to come see me. We will immediately prepare to return to the capital."
Changgeng was stunned. He stood still with the support of his heavy sword. He smelled a hint of uncertainty about his future.
Everyone in Daliang thought that he was the Fourth Prince, except for himself.
Changgeng always felt that his fate was too lowly. If he was really a prince, no matter if he was a purebred or a bastard, he should have the bloodline of the Emperor to protect him, right?
Why did it have to be like this?
But then again, whether he was a relative of the Emperor or a lowly beggar, it was not up to him to decide.
Ge Pangxiao observed his expression and cleverly saw that Changgeng was not in a good mood. He immediately approached him with a smile, "It's okay, Big Brother. I will follow you in the future. If you become a general, I will be your imperial bodyguard. If you become a high-ranking official, I will be your page boy. If you become the Emperor, I will be your grand … Ugh!"
Changgeng covered his mouth and glared at him, "How can you speak such nonsense? Do you not want to live anymore?"
Ge Pangxiao's pair of mung bean eyes looked around.
Changgeng's depressed mood suddenly improved. The butcher's little fatty was fine. If he continued to be anxious, wouldn't he be too useless?
Changgeng thought to himself, "I might as well run away by myself. Anyway, I have nothing to worry about. If I run to a deep mountain and become a hunter, no one will be able to find me."
However, if he decided to run away, he first had to give up Shi Liu … Gu Yun. Changgeng tried to cut himself with a knife, but it hurt so much that he could only temporarily put it aside. After putting it aside, he was carried by Gu Yun on the road back to the capital.
Ge Pangxiao said that he would follow him, and he followed him. This boy who grew up in the countryside was very bold to choose a road far away from the capital for himself. He even bought one to go with the other. When they were ready to leave the next day, Changgeng looked at Cao Niangzi, who was dressed as a boy but looked like a woman dressed as a man. He really did not have any thoughts.
Cao Niangzi gathered her courage and said in a buzzing voice, "Brother Changgeng, that day you saved my life by the dark river. My father said that a real man should not be ungrateful. A life-saving grace should be repaid with my body …"
When Changgeng heard 'a real man', he had goosebumps all over his body. When he heard 'repaid with my body', he already had a bit of a stomachache. He replied dryly, "Repaying with your body is not necessary."
Cao Niangzi's ears were red. She said shyly, "I … just want to go to the capital with you and serve you."
Changgeng originally wanted to refuse, but when the words were about to come out of his mouth, they inexplicably slipped down his throat. In his impression, Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi were one of his followers and the other had never spoken a complete sentence in front of him. They could not be said to have any friendship with him. However, once he left Yanhui Town, these two people seemed to have become all his memories of this place. Shen Shiliu did not count.
Changgeng hesitated for a moment. He turned his head and called Gu Yun to the imperial bodyguard he used on the road. He said, "I'll have to trouble this big brother to ask the Marquis of Stability."
The imperial bodyguard quickly returned. "The Marshal said that it is all up to Your Highness."
Changgeng gently exhaled. He thought that as expected, this kind of trivial matter was not worth mentioning. Gu Yun would not care.
Bringing along Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi, Changgeng mounted his horse. He turned his head back and took one last look at Yanhui Town behind him.
There used to be giant kites returning here. Both sides of the river were bustling with people to welcome them. Although the town was poor, it was always peaceful and happy. Now that the flames of war swept across the border, the entire town seemed to have fallen into a shadow. Only the sound of crows could be heard from far and near.
Changgeng had an indescribable premonition in his heart. He felt that those happy and simple days of the past would probably never come back.
The Black Iron Battalion rushed all the way to the capital. Even though the young man was full of energy, he couldn't help but be exhausted after a few days.
One day, when they were sleeping in the open in a valley, Changgeng had an ingenious nightmare in his dizziness. He dreamed that he was holding a steel knife and pierced Gu Yun's chest. Blood spurted high into the air. Gu Yun's face was as white as paper. His eyes were dim and slightly scattered. A thin line of blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth.
Changgeng shouted, "Yifu!" and sat up in shock. His head was covered in hot sweat. He subconsciously touched his chest.
Changgeng smoothed out the ruined Sleeve Silk. He found that it was very unique. The traces left behind by the burning of purple gold were like decorative patterns. It looked like an auspicious cloud. He pierced a hole in it and hung it around his neck.
The Sleeve Silk had helped him kill a barbarian. Changgeng believed that since he had seen blood, he could no longer be considered a child. He was qualified to be a real man. Thus, he always carried it with him.
The Xuan Tie was cold to the touch and gradually calmed Changgeng's emotions.
He slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air and climbed out of his tent. When the imperial bodyguard on night duty saw him, he immediately wanted to follow him but was rejected by him.
Changgeng walked alone to the riverside and washed his face. He heard the soft chirping of insects in the grass. He reached out and caught a small Frost Centipede in the palm of his hand.
Liu Huo was the end of autumn. This little thing's life was about to come to an end. Changgeng felt that it was rather pitiful and let it go. He walked aimlessly along the riverside and unknowingly arrived in front of Gu Yun's commander's tent.
He came back to his senses and laughed at himself. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly saw Shen Yi rushing over with a porcelain bowl in his hand. A familiar smell of medicine filled the air.
Changgeng's nose twitched. He couldn't walk anymore.
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