"puff-"
Gu Chi saw that the man could still hold it in. Shen Tang lost her composure and almost spit out the half-mouthful of tea she hadn't swallowed yet. Fortunately, she lowered her head at the critical moment and didn't affect Gu Chi.
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Shen Tang coughed for a long time before he recovered.
Worried about being heard, she yelled in her heart: Damn it—Why is Gong Xichou here
It turned out that a young man who was very familiar to Shen Tang appeared on the official road next to the teahouse. This person had an excellent hairline, a full forehead, delicate and deep facial features, clean and delicate skin, and thick black long hair tied into many small braids.
Her long hair was gathered behind her head and tied with a silver snake-shaped ornament.
He was dressed neatly and smartly, with a pair of iron wrist guards with ferocious snake patterns on his wrists, shoulder armor on one side, a skirt armor around his waist, and in his hands he was leading a nimble warhorse that was almost as tall as him.
Behind him were a dozen attendants of different ages.
Isn’t he Shen Tang’s musical confidant Gong Xichou
Gu Chi was almost deafened by Shen Tang's suddenly rising voice. He subconsciously tilted his head back and frowned.
My Lord is good at everything...
It's just that this voice is too unrestrained.
"If the master doesn't know, how can I know?"
Shen Tang wiped the tea stains from the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief, his shoulders slumped, trying to reduce his presence, and thought to himself: Isn't Gongxi Chou a subordinate of the Prince of Zhu? This is Zheng Qiao's territory, isn't he afraid of being surrounded and beaten to death by swaggering like this
Gu Chi recalled how Gong Xichou had fought this and that on the battlefield, becoming more and more courageous as the battle went on, with a combat capability that was almost beyond the reach of human endurance. He couldn't help but complain, "If a fight really breaks out, I'm not sure who will kill whom..."
Shen Tang’s mind was blown: Is he here to assassinate
King Zhui saw that he might not be able to defeat Zheng Qiao on the frontal battlefield, so he decided to send out his strongest combat force to launch an assassination
But Gong Xichou is really not cut out to be an assassin.
While they were talking, the group of people had already passed by the tea table where Shen Tang and his companions were sitting. Shen Tang hurriedly pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.
Gong Xichou waved at the teahouse proprietress.
"Give me some big bowls of tea."
Gong Xichou was born tall and strong, which gave people a great sense of oppression in his body shape, but he had a pleasing appearance, and his eyebrows revealed a bit of the wildness and handsomeness of a young man, which made him more approachable. Gu Chi heard the boss's voice change from being startled to admiring, and praised him generously: What a handsome boy!
The proprietress came forward with a smile and said, "Excuse me, sir. There are so many people at this hour. We have no seats left inside. Would you like to take a table outside?"
Gong Xichou said: "Of course you can."
Coincidentally, at this moment, the tea drinker next to Shen Tang stood up and vacated his seat, so the proprietress accommodated them here.
He wiped the table clean with quick hands and feet.
After Gong Xichou sat down, a slender and short servant came out from the group he brought with him and placed a stack of exquisite pastries. Although he was wearing men's clothes, he still couldn't hide the servant's graceful and slender figure. This was a woman dressed as a man.
Shen Tang watched the fun with great interest out of the corner of his eye.
Guess the identity of this "servant".
"Don't worry, sit down and take a rest."
The "boy" said frankly that he dared not. When the proprietress came to serve tea, Gong Xichou asked her, "Shopkeeper, is this place far from He Yin?"
As he spoke, he took out a small piece of silver as a reward. Who wouldn't like a handsome, polite and generous young man
The proprietress answered immediately.
"Not far, just two or three days' walk."
"Two or three days..." Gong Xichou murmured.
"Parents—"
An official of Gong Xichou, who had met Shen Tang once, sat on Gong Xichou's right, looking at the sky, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
Gong Xichou raised his hand to signal him not to speak, and picked up the pottery bowl with his other hand: "No need to say more, just drink tea, and then continue on your way after you have rested enough. I know my limits and will not delay the important matters."
The subordinates could only say, "Yes."
Tsk tsk tsk—
I never thought that Gong Xichou, a handsome young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, is actually so romantic and unrestrained in private! When Shen Tang heard him ask about "He Yin", he felt relieved - his friend had not forgotten him, he was indeed a confidant!
Shen Tang watched the interaction between the two, and instantly imagined in his mind a love drama between a rebellious and wild young general and a seemingly beautiful but actually innocent little maid, a combination of bloody love, hate, and vengeance.
Shen Tang is shipping his buddies’ couple.
Gu Chi's idea of hitting Shen Tang_(:з)∠?)_
Although Shen Tang only peeked cautiously with his peripheral vision, Gong Xichou, as a brave warrior, was no pushover.
When Shen Tang noticed him, he also noticed Shen Tang and his group. At first, he didn't think much of it, because they stood out among ordinary people like a crane among chickens, and they would attract the attention of passers-by wherever they went.
But ordinary people would just look at it twice and then stop, but Shen Tang looked at it again and again, and kept looking!
The subordinates' insight is not as strong as Gongxi Qiu's.
But soon something unusual was noticed.
He became alert in his heart and quietly touched the hilt of the short blade at his waist, but before he could draw it out, Gong Xichou pushed him back.
"What are you doing?"
The officer said: "But that person..."
Gong Xichou whispered, "It seems that he has no ill intentions."
If there was any malicious intent, Gong Xichou would be the first to take action.
Upon hearing this, the official had to take his hand back.
Outside the teahouse, the two groups of people were clearly separated and did not interfere with each other, but the atmosphere between them was slightly tense.
Shen Tang smiled inwardly: Hehe, I’ve been discovered.
Gu Chi was speechless.
If Gong Xichou couldn't even discover this, the Sibao Alliance Army would have cut him off his horse long ago. How could he still be wandering around
He was more curious about Gong Xichou's purpose.
Assassination is impossible.
Not to mention that Zheng Qiao was protected by experts and the national seal, it would be difficult for ordinary warriors to kill him. Even if they really came to assassinate him, they should not pass through Lingzhou Yiru. Not to mention that he asked the proprietress about He Yin.
Assassination requires speed, accuracy and ruthlessness.
How could anyone run around like him
Gu Chi was more inclined to another guess—Gong Xichou's destination was Yiru! The reason was also sufficient. Gong Xichou himself brought the Gu mother with him, and Yiru Zhanghe was suspected of dealing with Gu worms. It was hard to guarantee that there was no direct or indirect connection between the two.
Thinking of this, Gu Chi became alert.
My lord and Gongxi Chou are close friends in music, but this does not prove that Gongxi Chou is a "good person". No one who can serve under King Zhu has a simple mind, and it also does not prove that Gongxi Chou is friendly to them.
He did not forget how fiercely the two generals fought in front of the battlefield. They were fighting to the death and wished to cut each other into pieces.
As his mind raced, guesses popped up one after another, and Gu Chi saw Gong Xichou at the next table leaning towards Shen Tang and asked, "Why are you always peeking at me?"
Shen Tang said: "I should be the one asking this."
Gong Xichou raised his eyebrows, as if he didn't expect that Shen Tang was not only not guilty, but also had a strong argument. He didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Then he said, "I didn't peek at you."
Shen Tang asked, "You didn't peek at me, so how do you know I peeked at you? Even if I did, everyone loves beauty. This man is tall and handsome, and he doesn't cover his face when he goes out, so isn't that for people to see? How can you accuse me of peeking?"
Gong Xichou touched his face and said, "I am tall and handsome?"
Shen Tang said: "That's right!"
Gong Xichou looked closely at the boy's features.
Qi Shan disguised Shen Tang's original facial features, reducing the bright colors by three points, making the facial features look much more plain, and coupled with the fact that he had grown taller in the past six months, he looked like a completely different person. Shen Tang was confident that Gong Xichou would not recognize him.
I thought Gong Xichou would be polite, but after looking at it, he honestly said, "It's definitely not as good looking as mine."
Shen Tang: “…”
"It's just that Xiao Lang looks familiar, as if I've seen him somewhere before." He couldn't remember where he was for a while, but Shen Tang spoke to him without fear, and even teased his color without fear of death, which made him feel more familiar, "As if I know him."
"When I first met you, it was like an old friend returning. The moon is bright across the horizon, and I miss you the most day and night. Is this what it means to be friendly?"
Gong Xichou's subordinates almost choked on their tea, and the "servant" on the side was frightened and looked terrified.
They have seen people who are willing to die.
But I've never seen anyone seeking death outright.
Is this teasing Gong Xichou? ?
Unexpectedly, Gong Xichou did not get furious.
Thinking seriously: "What do you mean?"
His level of language culture is not very high.
"It means that you and I hit it off right away."
Gong Xichou pursed his lips slightly and did not respond.
He didn't like Shen Tang's familiarity, but he didn't reject the young man's familiarity. Looking at the familiar eyes, a figure seemed to emerge in his mind. Gong Xiqiu suddenly had an idea, and looked at Shen Tang carefully again, and then looked at the people around her.
Ask: "Where does Xiaolang live?"
Shen Tang smiled and said, "He Yin Fugu."
Gong Xichou's expression froze slightly, his pupils suddenly shrank, and he asked tentatively: "He Yin Fu Gu... That's a really good place. I heard that last year, a new county governor came to He Yin. He was not very old, only about eleven or twelve at that time. I also heard that after County Governor Shen took office, he used thunderous methods, made great achievements in governance, and worked hard to love the people. Is this... true?"
Shen Tang patted his chest and boasted: "Of course it's all true. My dear, you don't know that I am an official under Shen Jun. The rumors from the outside world can only describe Shen Jun as 10% good. I tell you, Shen Jun is a person... &*￥#%..."
Praise yourself
Shen Tang could speak for an entire hour without repeating himself.
Gong Xichou didn't even care that the tea had gotten cold.
"Mama is really talented! Little boy, you don't know that your Lord Shen and I are sworn brothers, like soulmates who know each other well! Are you going to Yiru? What a coincidence!" Gong Xichou ignored the subordinate who was about to get cramped by winking at him, and said, "We are destined to travel together today, so why don't we take care of each other?"
Shen Tang said: "That's exactly what I meant."
Gu Chi: “…”
Gongxi Qiu's subordinates: "..."
The expected tension did not exist.
These two weirdos have endless things to talk about when they meet. Shen Tang directly asked Gong Xichou about his purpose of coming to Yiru. The officials were so anxious that their faces turned red, but their own general ignored them.
Gong Xichou and Shen Tang sat at the same table.
Ask the proprietress to serve new tea.
"Of course I'm here to look for Zhang He."
Shen Tang frowned: "Are you here to see Zhang Yongqing too?"
"Also?" Gong Xichou noticed this word.
Shen Tang did not hide anything and said, "A while ago, epidemics broke out in Tianhai, Heyin, Shangnan and other places. After careful investigation, we found that it was caused by poisonous insects. If it had not been discovered in time, we don't know how far this epidemic would have spread and how big the impact would have been. I heard that Yiru Zhanghe is quite knowledgeable about this, so Mr. Shen sent us to Yiru to consult on relevant medical theories to benefit the people under his rule..."
Gong Xichou had never heard of this.
only-
He directly exposed Shen Tang's euphemisms and pointed to the point: "Xiao Lang suspects Zhang He is the murderer?"
Shen Tang took a sip of tea and said nothing.
Gong Xichou said: "It shouldn't be him."
Shen Tang was surprised: "No?"
Gong Xichou: "Zhang He is a man with a conscience."
The implication is that it is unlikely that Zhang He deliberately poisoned many places to cause epidemics, or that was not his real purpose. He didn't say much else. Gong Xichou added, "It's just that that was in the past. People change. What you hear is not what you hear. What you see is not what you see. Ma... Xiaolang still needs to see it in person to know. My words are just my personal opinion and cannot be taken as the final word."
Shen Tang did not comment.
After drinking tea, a thick cloud floated over the sky and blocked the scorching sun. The sun was finally not so scorching.
Shen Tang and his group prepared to continue their journey.
Gong Xichou looked at the motorcycle that was running towards him with the reins in its mouth, and gave Shen Tang a smiling look.
Shen Tang: “…”
Climbing onto the back of the motorcycle, the two rode side by side.
"In this chaotic time, why did you come to Yiru to look for Zhang He? Could he be your enemy?"
Shen Tang did not hide his purpose.
Gong Xichou returned the favor.
"He's not really an enemy, but we have some old connections." Gong Xichou said, "I finally found out where he is, so I came to see him during the slack season. After a while, we have to train and prepare for war, so we won't have that much time to run around."
The veins on the officials' foreheads throbbed as they heard this.
Our general dares to say anything.
Shen Tang did not delve into the specific content of the "origin".
After a while, Gong Xichou took the initiative to mention it.
"How is the injury?"
Shen Tang was stunned and almost didn't react.
He smiled and said, "It's already healed, and my strength has also improved."
Gong Xichou's expression was full of suspicion.
As far as he knew, after Mama left the Allied Forces, she sat and worked all day, neglecting her martial arts studies, and her strength must have declined instead of improved.
Just like himself.
If you neglect to practice, it will also be wasted.
In martial arts, one must sail against the current.
"If you don't believe me, let's discuss this later."
Gong Xichou said: "Okay!"
They entered the city before dark and found a place to stay. Luckily, there were many empty rooms in the inn. Shen Tang handed the motorcycle to the waiter and heard the sound of chains dragging on the ground. Turning his head, he saw a ragged boy leading Gong Xichou's horse away.
Although he is called a teenager, he is actually somewhere between a youth and a teenager.
He looks to be around eighteen or nineteen years old.
His feet were bare, his soles were big, and only half of his trouser legs were left.
Shen Tang asked: "What is this?"
"The one we rescued on the way was said to have killed someone in his hometown and was exiled. He suffered a lot along the way."
Gong Xichou took off his water bag and took a big sip.
Shen Tang said: "It looks like a good seedling. If you train him well, he might be a good right-hand man."
Unexpectedly, Gong Xichou said, "He is not mine."
"Um?"
"He seems to be here to look for you." Gong Xichou said, "I asked the store owner about He Yin Fu Gu before, and he promised to send him to your place. I told him that I knew you, and he followed me. Who knew that Mama was at the next table, so I didn't have to make a trip."
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