Chapter 50 Gusu Liang

Gu Qiang turned around to look at the two servant girls and asked calmly, “What’s up?”

Gu Qiang has got used to Chui Xue’s fluster, but Ting Feng was restless too, which made Gu Qiang feel strange.

Ting Feng glanced at Gu Qiang carefully and found her extremely dirty. Thus, Ting Feng realized something must have happened to Gu Qiang. She served Gu Qiang to have a comfortable bath immediately. After cleaning and dressing Gu Qiang, she uttered her worry.

While combing Gu Qiang’s hair, Ting Feng said, “My Lady, Gusu Liang left in a hurry soon after you went away. We were not familiar with her, so we didn’t ask where she was going.”

Gu Qiang’s eyes glittered, and she looked at herself in the mirror. Gusu Liang was so weird. She appeared suddenly and then came to the Prime Minister Manion with Gu Qiang inexplicably. All seemed to be arranged and pushed secretly by someone.

That girl couldn’t have such a simple background as she said. Now that she was sent to Gu Qiang, there must be a motive. Gu Qiang thought for a while and then looked at Ting Feng in the mirror. Founding Ting Feng looking at her in the mirror too, she told Ting Feng, “Let her go.”

After she finished, Chui Xue ran in nervously and told them, “Please go out and have a look. Gusu Liang collapsed in the yard.”

Gu Qiang and Ting Feng rushed out and saw Gusu Liang wearing the clothes of servant girls in the mansion. Her clothes were torn and stained with blood. She looked pale and it seemed that she had lost too much blood.

They carried Gusu Liang to the room, took off her clothes, and saw her deep wound covered with dirt and blood scabs. Her face had wounds too. Though she was not pretty, no women would like wounds on their faces, wouldn’t they?

After they dressed the wounds for Gusu Liang, she revived slowly. Ting Feng went away sensibly and left Gu Qiang sitting beside her.

Gusu Liang coughed and spat blood around Gu Qiang’s feet. Gu Qiang stepped back and looked coldly at Gusu Liang, waiting for her explanation.

She gave water to Gusu Liang. The latter took the water, drank, and then said, “My Lady, I’m sorry. I know you are curious, but I am…”

Gusu Liang coughed heavily. Then she lied down on the bed, touched her wound, and then laughed while looking at the ceiling.

Gu Qiang looked at her coldly. It was true that Gusu Liang helped her, but she helped Gusu Liang too. They were even. She knew it was unacceptable to ask questions instead of showing her care for Gusu Liang, but if Gusu Liang couldn’t prove herself to be good, she might be unqualified to be kept.

Gu Qiang didn’t know whether Gusu Liang would like to stay with her or not. She was satisfied with Gusu Liang’s capability. But if Gusu Liang left, she had nothing to say.

Gusu Liang was clear about the reason why Gu Qiang was still here. She took a deep breath on the bed and said, “My Lady, the Ninth Duke was really affectionate to you. Even though you went to such a dangerous place, he accompanied you. But do you think it is done after you escape?”

Gu Qiang was stunned and seemed to understand what Gusu Liang meant, but she didn’t say anything.

Gusu Liang continued, “I shouldn’t expose my identity so soon, but I am deeply wounded and maybe can’t hide it anymore.”

Gu Qiang couldn’t help asking, “Are you sent by the Ninth Duke?”

Gusu Liang laughed and answered while clutching her stomach, “Duh! Do you think you can satisfy me with only a meal?”

Then Gusu Liang grimaced in pain, but her eyes were still fixed on Gu Qiang.

Gu Qiang stood up and walked away slowly. She had an unexplainable feeling. On the one hand, she thought Shen Qianshan sent someone around her to protect her, while on the other hand, she felt she was monitored.

Gusu Liang sat up with the pain and told Gu Qiang, “My Lady, don’t hate me. You have no idea how much damage His Highness has protected you from. As for your escape from Suxin Palace this time, if His Highness hadn’t ordered me to protect you behind, you couldn’t…”

Before Gusu Liang finished, Gu Qiang turned around suddenly, looked at her silently, and then said slowly but firmly, “Take a good rest, Then let’s deal with something.”

Did she… After thinking for a while, Gusu Liang lied down with a smile and told Gu Qiang, “My Lady, please close the door when you go out.”

Gu Qiang smiled, went out, and closed the door.

On the third day, Gu Qiang sat in the yard. Autumn had arrived. The yard looked golden with fallen pear leaves. Leaves fell from time to time and flew like butterflies. The tea had been cold. Gusu Liang walked into the yard and saw Gu Qiang’s dismal back.

“My Lady, I heard the disaster in the capital became worse during my rest and the imperial court was forced to massacre disaster victims. Really?” Gusu Liang was looked after by Ting Feng in the past days. Servant girls were usually informed. If the news came from Ting Feng, it must be true.

Gu Qiang turned around. Looking at leaves falling, she felt the fragility of life suddenly. It would happen sooner or later. The imperial court was powerless, so the increasing disaster victims became a burden to the capital, just like tumors on the body. The more tumors there were, the more terrible one would feel. Finally, the imperial court could do nothing but give up those disaster victims.

“Are you all right?” Gu Qiang asked instead of answering Gusu Liang.

Gusu Liang sat by Gu Qiang and responded, “Almost. I can even fight now. Shall we go out for a walk?”

Gu Qiang stood up, looked at Gusu Liang, and then nodded, “OK.”

Gu Qiang had found the way to cure the disease, but she lacked an opportunity. If she had it, she could certainly help more people. Before that, she needed to see what the capital was like.

The main street in the capital was full of traffic. Pedestrians all covered their mouths for fear that they would be infected. Then a group of soldiers rushed out from nowhere, caught a mother with her baby in the arms, and hustled her away.

Gusu Liang stood silently at the street corner with Gu Qiang and looked expressionlessly. Her indifference frightened Gu Qiang. Were all secret guards like this?

Before Gu Qiang realized, Gusu Liang moved and followed them. The woman’s cry and the baby’s scream were mixed with the soldiers’ beatings and curses.

Gu Qiang followed them too. She found the soldiers had caught many people along the way and were hustling them to the capital edge. Gusu Liang kept walking ahead while Gu Qiang followed behind and hid behind a wall. Gusu Liang turned around and shushed Gu Qiang with a forefinger to the lips.

Gusu Liang drew Gu Qiang to the wall and motioned her to look out.

Gu Qiang was stunned by what she saw. Over thirty people were standing on the open space in the suburb. They were emaciated and ragged. There were men and women of different ages. Their wails echoed in the air. At the edge of the open space, corpses were piled like wastes.

Gu Qiang swallowed to calm herself down. Soldiers began their slaughter. They were a group of devils in official uniform and gave off the smell of death. Corpses were strewn around here and made it a hell on earth.

Gu Qiang couldn’t help rushing over but was prevented by Gusu Liang. She turned around and saw Gusu Liang shake head firmly to her, “You can do nothing. Even if you can save one person, more will die. We are not able to save them all.”

When Gu Qiang turned around, the screams disappeared gradually and groans became weaker and weaker. She felt numb all over. The screams of those people rooted in her mind and couldn’t be driven away.

After a long silence, Gusu Liang held Gu Qiang’s hand and said, “My Lady, let’s go.”

When Gu Qiang looked around again, she found another group of soldiers taking some people here. These people were wailing as well. They were complaining about the country and life at the last moment of their life. It also showed their endless despair. In the world, so many people lived a miserable life but few had as many chances as Gu Qiang had.

When Gu Qiang returned to the Prime Minister Mansion, she saw lots of guests. Compared with the living hell on the street, the Prime Minister Mansion was surprisingly bursting with joy as if it were celebrating Chinese New Year.

Prime Minister Gu was sitting in the yard before the main hall. Seeing Gu Qiang back, he waved her over.

Then he pushed Gu Zhihua who dressed up to Gu Qiang and said, “Qiang, is your sister beautiful today?”

Gu Zhihua was wearing light pink clothes that looked clean and refreshing. Roses were delicately embroidered on her clothes. She was also wearing a fancy jade hair clasp as well as gold and silver hair accessories. It seemed that she was ready to get married.

Obviously, something pleasant happened to Gu Zhihua. Gu Qiang was in no mood to bicker with her and said, “My sister is very beautiful today.”

She just praised Gu Zhihua but didn’t ask why. According to the characteristics of Ye and Gu Zhihua, they would show off the good news joyfully to Gu Qiang, even if she didn’t ask. She was accustomed to that. Now that they would say finally, she wouldn’t give them the chance to show off by asking curiously.