Princess and the General

Shi immediately covered his ears and bitterly looked at that person, “Lao Jin! Just how old are you that you’re still as excitable as the young ones?”

That battlefield butcher had nearly deafened him.

Lao Jin closely watched the three figures in the air, while his hands moved back and forth, “Do you not know how old I am? Hah, quickly come and take a look.
The young general’s technique is really quite amazing, while the third young sir has improved quite a bit.
It seems that Tian Shu, whom the Deity of Medicine brought to Marquis Gu’s Manor, taught them something really amazing! Hah, should we go and ask the young general to teach us a few things?”

When it came to raw strength, the young ones might not be able to compete with them, but when it came to technique, they were far worse than the young ones.

Yan HuaShi just rolled his eyes, “You’re going to go and ask for advice? Are you able to even get up there as you are?”

Lao Jin looked down, “What’s wrong with how I am? What’s wrong with how I am? It’s just that I have had some good fortune, and my belly has gotten a bit larger? This is a general’s belly.
Do you understand?”

Looking back up into the air, Gu ShuBai pushed the two away with his sword then turned and landed back on his horse, saying with a smile: “It seems that father’s methods were quite effective.
Both of you have made huge improvements!”

“You’re still saying it?”

The two were unwilling to let it go.
In front of others, they were reliable generals, but in front of their brothers, they reverted to being lively young men.

Gu ShuBai looked at the two with a smile.
Turning his head, he suddenly saw a person rapidly riding toward them in the distance.
Their horse was kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.

This person was carrying a banner on his back.
Upon seeing the Gu family’s army’s banner, he headed straight for them, and everyone turned to look in his direction.

“Lord Marquis Gu! May I ask if Lord Marquis Gu is here? This subordinate has come with a secret message from Lord Ji!”

Aside from Ji DaoGong from the Imperial Censorate, who else in court would be called Lord Ji? Gu HuaiJiang personally stepped out of his carriage, “Bring him over.”

Ji DaoGong was someone who kept a low profile.
In court, he would bide his time and avoid standing out.
Why would he suddenly send someone with an urgent message?

Since he sent this message, there had to be something urgent.

The messenger retrieved the letter and gave it to Gu HuaiJiang.
The seal did indeed belong to Ji DaoGong.
Yu Fu also came out from her carriage and came forward with her brothers.

“What happened in the capital?”

Gu HuaiJiang was in no rush to open the letter and asked the messenger.
The messenger was stunned, “Does Lord Marquis Gu not know?”

The messenger was acting strangely.
What should he know?

Gu HuaiJiang furrowed his brow, while the messenger kneeled and cupped his hands, “His Majesty was attacked by the second prince during the autumn hunt and has already passed away!”

“What?!”

Before anyone could even start coming down from the elation of triumph, they were instantly dragged down into a state of shock and sadness.

Gu HuaiJiang had always been steady.
Not only was he frowning, but he was also swaying.
Yu Fu hastily rushed forward to support him, “Head general…”

He waved his hand and stared at the messenger, “Is what you said true?”

The messenger lowered his head and cupped his hands, “With Lord Ji’s letter as evidence, this subordinate does not dare lie.”

Gu HuaiJiang looked at the letter in a daze, not daring to open it.
He feared that reading the letter would affirm what the messenger had said.

Before he set out for battle, His Majesty had gone against the wishes of the officials and promoted Gu JiuGe and Gu HanMo.
He had always favored Marquis Gu’s Manor greatly.

Over the years, His Majesty had envied him and suspected him but had never done anything to harm him.

To die so suddenly and at the hands of his own son, Gu HuaiJiang found it hard to accept.

Yu Fu quietly supported him and gave Yao Lan a look.

Just a little while earlier in the carriage, Yao Lan was talking about how thorough and kind His Majesty was, sending a carriage and the things that a princess should have to the border to allow her to be a little more comfortable.

Who knew that in the blink of an eye, they would receive news of His Majesty’s passing.

Gu ShuBai stared at the messenger, “When did this happen? Why did we not hear about this at all?”

The messenger reported: “This subordinate left the hunting ground the morning after His Majesty passed away.
It has been five days since then.
On the night that His Majesty passed away, Lord Ji sent an imperial guard with the news to inform Marquis Gu.
That messenger left one night ahead of this subordinate.
No matter what happened, they should not have arrived later than this subordinate!”

Gu HuaiJiang had already come to an understanding of the situation.
It was possible that someone had control over that imperial guard, and there was someone hoping that he would not quickly return to the capital.
While opening the letter, he said to the messenger: “Carefully explain everything that happened at the hunting ground.”

“Yes! At that time, the group had encircled a wild boar with His Majesty.
Aside from His Majesty, the eldest prince, the second prince, and Prime Minister Yin were in the encirclement.
The four then encircled the boar.
The second prince was standing across from His Majesty and shot the arrow into His Majesty’s chest.
Before we could bring His Majesty down the mountain, he had already stopped breathing and did not say another word.
Lord Ji was worried that there would be drastic changes in court and specifically ordered this subordinate to ask Marquis Gu to quickly return!”

Gu HuaiJiang carefully read the letter, while Gu ShuBai said: “Where were His Majesty’s guards at that time? With the second prince standing across from His Majesty, did nobody think of standing in front of him?”

The messenger said: “Someone did! But His Majesty did not allow it because the night before the hunt, the second prince showed off his accuracy with a bow.
He was able to hit the bullseye in a single shot.
His Majesty said that the second prince was accurate with a bow and was aiming at a boar on the ground, so how could he hit him while he was on a horse? Who knew… hah.”

“The second prince is skilled with a bow?”

Gu JiuGe said: “We in Marquis Gu’s Manor know about the second prince’s skill with a bow.
How could it be considered accurate? But His Majesty was right.
Even if he was not accurate, he could not possibly target a boar on the ground and hit someone who was riding a horse.
Unless it was done deliberately, there is no other possibility.”

It was deliberate?

No sane person would possibly assassinate His Majesty in front of so many people.
This did not benefit the second prince in the slightest.

Gu HuaiJiang had already finished reading the letter and placed it into his sleeve, “The second prince has already been detained for the assassination of His Majesty.
It has already been five days since His Majesty’s passing.
Who knows just how much of a mess the court has become.
Get on your horses.
From here on out, we will be rushing back to the capital!”

He turned back and returned to his carriage, while the soldiers put aside their earlier joy and immediately became serious.

The group of 500 soldiers did not ask any questions and just orderly mounted their horses.
They continued their hurried journey back to the capital, and even the young Yu Fu and Yao Lan acted without any sloppiness.

The messenger watched in a daze, and Yan HuaShi said to him: “You’ve worked hard to rush here.
Come with our group back to the capital.”