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The Gu Family"s iron cavalry quickly seized control of the situation at the city gate. The left deputy commander led five thousand cavalrymen to pursue and eliminate the State of Chen soldiers who had been burning, killing, and looting. Gu Changqing entrusted his brother to a deputy general and led two thousand infantrymen to the city walls.
There wasn"t a need for so many men to deal with the terrified State of Chen soldiers on the city walls, but this battle needed to be swiftly concluded.
As the last enemy soldier was dealt with, the rising sun broke through the snow, bringing dazzling morning light that enveloped the blood-stained city walls.
A chilling wind howled, cutting like a knife against each person"s face.
The defending soldiers, who had fought throughout the night, held their weapons tightly, their fingers too stiff to open.
Gu Jiao stood on the roof of the tower with her red-ta.s.seled spear, and the flag of the State of Zhao fluttered behind her.
She slowly raised her stiff and sore hand, removing the helmet covered in sweat and blood.
The flames of war were extinguished, debris scattered on the ground, and the landscape was in ruins.
Gu Jiao stood holding her red-ta.s.seled spear and clutching her helmet. She stared unblinkingly at the city that had borne the brunt of the war.
The morning light cast a golden radiance on her blood-stained cheeks.
Injured defenders were either supported by the Gu Family soldiers or carried away by them, leaving the battlefield they had defended with their lives until the very end.
Tang Yueshan lay on a stretcher, carried away by two Gu Family soldiers.
Whether he fell unconscious or had simply fallen asleep from exhaustion was unknown.
The entire battlefield fell into a silent stillness.
Gu Changqing arrived beneath the tower and looked up at her, "Can you come down now?"
"I can"t." Gu Jiao replied.
Gu Changqing leaped onto the roof of the city tower and brought down the limp and stiff Gu Jiao in his arms.
It took considerable effort to pry open her fingers, which were tightly wrapped around the red-ta.s.seled spear.
She sat blankly on a partially wrecked carriage, while Gu Changqing knelt in front of her, using a handkerchief to gently wipe her face.
Gu Changqing shed his cold and ferocious demeanor, revealing a gentleness in his eyes and brows.
The Gu Family soldiers on the side, witnessing this scene, were close to having their jaws drop.
This, this… Was this the same unfeeling and cold-faced Young Master Yama of theirs? Was he actually doting on a junior soldier?
The unfeeling and cold-faced Young Master Yama looked at the formidable junior soldier with soft eyes and whispered, "It"s okay, we won."
"Mm." Gu Jiao remained in a daze.
Gu Changqing tenderly wiped away the bloodstains from her cheeks and hands. With each stroke, his heart clenched a bit. Only when he wiped it clean and found that it was someone else"s blood did he let out a long sigh of relief.
His sister had defended the city well and also protected herself.
That’s good.
No one knew the relief Gu Changqing felt at this moment. When he learned that both Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng disappeared from the capital at the same time, he just knew they had headed north. His heart had been hanging day and night, worrying not only about the people and territory on the border but also about these two little troublemakers.
Strictly speaking, Gu Chengfeng was not that young anymore.
But in the heart of an elder brother, he would always be the little brother from childhood.
"The armor is heavy, let me help you take it off." Gu Changqing said as he started to remove her armor. Just like before, she didn"t object, sitting there quietly.
However, when Gu Changqing finally took off the armor, he sensed that something was amiss.
Her entire small body tensed up, and her hands were gripping the carriage board beneath her, as if she was desperately holding back something.
Gu Changqing looked at her, "JiaoJiao."
Gu Jiao said in a daze, "No.. No more killing."
Gu Changqing didn"t quite understand the meaning behind those words. He nodded, "Yes, there’s no need to kill people."
"No more killing." Gu Jiao shook her head blankly.
Her pet.i.te body became increasingly tense, and a murderous intent gradually surfaced in her eyes.
During these days, she had saved too many people and killed too many. The scent of blood on her was too overwhelming, and she had immersed herself in it for too long. It exceeded the limits she could bear. Even without a powerful stimulus, she was losing control.
"I... I can"t control it..."
The violent factors within her surged endlessly, and her eyes turned bloodshot.
A strong sense of astonishment flashed within Gu Changqing"s eyes. He put down the handkerchief and cupped her face, "JiaoJiao, look at me."
Gu Jiao pushed him away!
The red-ta.s.seled spear stood next to her, and she reached for it. Instead of grabbing the shaft, she aimed for the sharp and pointed spearhead!
Gu Changqing"s expression changed dramatically. Was she trying to use pain to wake herself up? Because she couldn"t kill, she was choosing to hurt herself instead?
Gu Changqing quickly stood up, grabbing the spearhead before she could.
Her hand gripped the back of his hand.
Almost simultaneously, Gu Changqing extended his other hand and tapped her sleep acupoint.
Her eyes closed, and she fell into his arms.
……
When Gu Jiao woke up, she was lying in an unfamiliar tent. She blinked, stayed confused for a moment, then turned her little head to look around.
"Awake?"
Gu Changqing put down the letter he was reading, stood up from the chair, and approached the camp bed covered with thick bedding and tiger skin. He then sat down and reached out to touch her forehead.
“This is my tent." Gu Changqing asked. "How do you feel?"
Gu Jiao seriously a.s.sessed it and said, "Very good, the bedding is warm." I also want one.
Gu Changqing: "..."
I was asking about your physical condition though.
Gu Changqing was amused by her serious yet naturally silly appearance. She had always been calm and self-possessed, rarely revealing the childlike innocence that was now so apparent before him.
But since she could say such things, she should be fine.
"Something on your mind?" Gu Jiao looked at Gu Changqing.
Gu Changqing shook his head, smiling slightly, "I"m fine."
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
"You..." Gu Changqing intended to ask what had happened earlier, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back. Instead, he changed his question, "Have you experienced this before?"
Gu Jiao thought for a moment, ultimately not denying it. She nodded.
Gu Changqing: "Often?"
Gu Jiao shook her head.
She sat up, suddenly feeling something around her neck. She reached in and pulled out a small pouch strung with a red string.
"What"s this?" She asked.
Gu Changqing explained, "It"s an amulet. Before I left the capital, Princess Xinyang found me and asked me to give it to you. She said she personally went to the temple to get it and told me to make sure you wear it. After you put it on just now, your aura stabilized."
The killing intent was also gone.
Gu Jiao smelled the amulet. Inside, there were herbs, seemingly infused, so she couldn"t discern the original scent.
But it smelled very comfortable to her.
She liked it!
Gu Changqing looked deeply at his sister. It seemed he understood why Princess Xinyang instructed him to make sure she wore it. This might be something to help stabilize Gu Jiao"s mental state.
It appeared that Princess Xinyang was aware of her situation and cared deeply for her.
Gu Changqing asked with puzzlement, "Do you know Princess Xinyang?"
Gu Jiao held the small amulet in her hands and nodded enthusiastically, "My mother-in-law!"Raz P."s Thoughts
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