Chapter 695.1: Arrogance
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Tianqiong Academy was on break today. Gu Jiao heard the news from a passing merchant while she was on her way to the market to buy groceries.
Lord Imperial Advisor had returned to Shengdu in the middle of the night, and early in the morning, a long line of people had already formed outside the Imperial Advisor's Hall, all waiting to see the Imperial Advisor.
"So many people want to see the Imperial Advisor?"
A vegetable vendor asked a merchant sitting at the neighboring stall, who was drinking soybean milk, then said to Gu Jiao, "Ten knife coins."
Gu Jiao handed over ten knife coins to the vegetable vendor and placed two fresh large gourds into the basket at her back.
The merchant took a few large gulps, wiping the sweat from his brow, and said, "Of course! The line stretches for three miles! Even the carriages can barely get through! If I wasn't in a hurry to do business outside the city, I'd be lining up there too!"
The last time Gu Jiao went to the Imperial Advisor's Hall to inquire about the whereabouts of the Imperial Advisor, the senior disciple, Ye Qing, told her that the Imperial Advisor would return by the beginning of this month at the earliest, or by the end of the month at the latest.
Not having to wait until the end of the month was certainly the best outcome, as Gu Yan's illness would worsen the longer it was delayed.
Gu Jiao returned to the house with the vegetables she had bought.
"You're back." Lady Nan, seeing the sweat on her forehead, quickly took the back basket from her and said, "I didn't expect Shengdu to be so hot this year. You must be stifled."
She was referring to Gu Jiao's chest binding.
Gu Jiao had grown too well in the past two years, and to hide her womanly figure, she had to wrap herself tightly, circle after circle, which made Lady Nan feel hot just thinking about it.
Gu Jiao said, "It's fine."
She could endure it.
Lady Nan said with concern, "It must be hard for you. I've made some mint water; it will be ready soon."
"Lady Nan, I won't drink it. I need to go to the inner city." Gu Jiao said, "The Imperial Advisor has returned."
Lady Nan's eyes lit up, "Really?"
Gu Jiao nodded, "Yes, I just heard the news at the market, so I want to try my luck and see if I can meet the Imperial Advisor."
Lady Nan glanced at Gu Yan, who was listlessly basking in the sun under the veranda, understanding that Gu Yan's condition could no longer be delayed, “The earlier the surgery, the better the chances of a cure, right?"
"Yes." Gu Jiao replied.
If delayed too long, even surgery might not help.
Lady Nan didn't try to stop her and had Master Lu prepare a carriage for Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao went inside to take the token of the Chess Saint. She searched the table and was puzzled, "Huh? Where's the token? I clearly left it here."
"Here."
Just then, Old Master Meng appeared at the doorway, holding a brocade pouch, with the token inside.
"Oh." Gu Jiao walked over and took the brocade pouch, "So you took it."
Old Master Meng casually remarked, "I just took it for a moment. Are you planning to go into the inner city alone?"
"Yes." Gu Jiao answered.
Old Master Meng cleared his throat, "Not taking me along?"
Gu Jiao looked at him strangely, "Why would I take you?"
Old Master Meng said, "It’s the Imperial Advisor's Hall?"
Gu Jiao said seriously, "The Imperial Advisor knows the Chess Saint. If you go, you'll blow our cover."
The real Chess Saint, Old Master Meng: "..."
Thinking of something, Gu Jiao said, "Wait, no, you do need to come along; otherwise, we won't be able to get into the inner city."
As it happened, Old Master Meng actually needed to go into the inner city today. He had to meet someone near the Imperial Advisor's Hall, so it was on the way for both of them.
Master Lu had the carriage ready. He originally planned to use a different horse, but the horse king beat up Master Lu and its peer, then proudly came out to pull the carriage itself!
The horse king even remembered to carry Gu Jiao's little medicine chest and back basket onto the carriage, providing a very thorough service!
After Gu Jiao got on the carriage, Old Master Meng got on as well.
Gu Jiao put down the curtain and said to the horse king, "Alright, let's go."
The horse king grinned widely, raised its front hooves, and with a whoosh, dashed out!
Old Master Meng, caught off guard, was thrown backward and hit the wall of the carriage with a thud!
The horse king ran like the wind!
The wind gusted against them, blowing the curtains high up and causing them to flap wildly against the carriage walls with a loud, snapping sound.
Old Master Meng was blown to the point of despair, with his arms spread out against the carriage wall behind him, powerless to resist. He felt like he couldn't even open his eyes, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to be getting smoothed out by the wind.
What kind of crazy little horse was this?!
The carriage sped down the street, overtaking every other vehicle and charging ahead!
By the time they stopped at the checkpoint to enter the inner city, Old Master Meng had been blown into a frizzled lion.
This time, Old Master Meng wasn't subjected to Gu Jiao's usual shaming scripts because the guards at the city gate let them pass immediately upon seeing the Chess Saint's token.
Old Master Meng let out a long sigh of relief.
The horse king had never been to the Imperial Advisor's Hall, so it still needed directions.
After entering the inner city, Gu Jiao sat in the outer seat of the carriage.
Shengdu was particularly congested today, and the carriage didn't get far before it got stuck in traffic.
On the second floor of a teahouse by the street, in a private room overlooking the road, a man in his thirties dressed in black sat by the window, watching the gridlocked traffic.
One of the carriages caught his attention.
There was nothing particularly special about the carriage itself, but the horse was unusual.
While the other horses stood quietly in place, this one couldn't stay still, looking around and even chasing butterflies.
"What a foolish horse." The man muttered. After a moment, his gaze shifted from the horse to the coachman.
The coachman was a young man in green, with a red birthmark on the left side of his face.
"It’s him?" The man's lips curled slightly, "He actually got into the inner city."
Han shizi followed his gaze and soon noticed Gu Jiao on the carriage. He frowned and asked, "Xiao Liulang? Master, do you know him?"
The man addressed as Master by Han shizi was none other than Lady Nan's former senior brother, Qi Xuan.
Qi Xuan leisurely watched the young man in green on the carriage, who looked deeply frustrated by the traffic jam, and chuckled softly, "I told you before that I ran into my little junior sister from the Tang Sect last time. There's something else I didn't mention——there's an interesting person by her side."
"Is it Xiao Liulang?" Han shizi was surprised.
Qi Xuan replied with a smile, "I think I might have figured out who killed Nangong Li."
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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Description:
In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.
When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.
The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.
From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.
***
Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.
After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"
Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"
Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”
Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
He hasn't finished his lines yet though…