Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Gu Zhangyuan gave a slight tilt of his chin, motioning for Xuan Cui to bring over everything he'd set aside.

Back at the estate, Xie Licheng had not only saved him but also so many others there.

That was a huge debt of gratitude, so Gu Zhangyuan had spent a good deal of time putting together thank-you gifts for him.

Some of the items came from the Gu family storehouse, and the rest came from Gu Zhangyuan's personal coffers.

There was a ton of stuff, so when Xuan Cui went to fetch it, she brought two female bodyguards along.

While Xuan Cui was fetching the stuff, Xie Licheng was escorted by Yuan Qiao into Gu Zhangyuan's study.

Gu Zhangyuan changed into something more formal before taking his time to head to the study to meet him.

When Xie Licheng saw Gu Zhangyuan, he silently thought to himself—damn, a real beauty. Gorgeous even with minimal effort.

Today, Gu Zhangyuan was truly beautiful—classy, elegant, and expensively so. Unlike the previous times, he'd even taken the time to do his eyebrows today.

It was almost time to turn in, and Xie Licheng couldn't help wondering if he was reading too much into it, as if Gu Zhangyuan had gotten all dressed up just for him.

Gu Zhangyuan sat down on the chair across from Xie Licheng, then lifted his gaze to look at him and asked, "What brings you here?"

Xie Licheng glanced at Yuan Qiao, who caught on right away and slipped out.

Once Yuan Qiao had left the study, Xie Licheng stepped closer to Gu Zhangyuan.

They were already close, and with those long legs of his, that one step put him practically looming over Gu Zhangyuan.

Seeing him suddenly get that close, Gu Zhangyuan remembered how bold he'd been that night and nervously clutched at his sleeve.

Xie Licheng wasn't planning to do anything to him—he'd stepped in close because he had something important to tell him.

Dropping his voice, Xie Licheng said, "There's something I need to tell you."

Gu Zhangyuan looked at the man who was so tall and imposing up close, and said, "Mm, go ahead."

Xie Licheng: "Bandits are raising hell up north, and the court hasn't sent troops to crack down on them. They're getting stronger—now there are bandits even in Lengzhou City. Meanwhile, there are floods in the south, wiping out farmland and homes, and pirates are raising hell overseas. And the court hasn't even bothered to send disaster relief."

As Xie Licheng spoke, his voice was low and grim, making anyone who heard it feel uneasy.

Gu Zhangyuan's eyelids gave a slight twitch at his words, then he lifted those pretty eyes to look at him and asked, "What are you getting at?"

He already knew about the things Xie Licheng was talking about, and he felt the court's continued inaction pointed to something big about to happen.

But he didn't dare say it, didn't even dare think about it.

Now hearing Xie Licheng bring it up, a bad feeling settled in his chest.

Xie Licheng: "Lengzhou is right next to the capital. The court has to know about the bandit problem here, yet instead of sending troops, they're planning to build fancy palaces. Dazhou is already starting to fall apart. You'd better start making plans for the Gu family now."

Xie Licheng had never planned to tell anyone ahead of time that the world was about to go to hell.

He'd said it before—he wasn't a good guy.

He wouldn't put himself in danger just to save other people.

But Gu Zhangyuan was an exception. Though they hadn't spent much time together, they'd formed a connection.

Thinking about what happened to Gu Zhangyuan in the original story, Xie Licheng wanted to change his destiny, to help him get out before everything went to shit.

Besides, Gu Zhangyuan had a good heart and wouldn't go blabbing what Xie Licheng told him to others.

Xie Licheng hadn't revealed his identity or the secrets he carried—what he was telling Gu Zhangyuan now was just his own guesswork. Gu Zhangyuan wouldn't see him as a threat just because of some guesses.

Gu Zhangyuan was sharp. After hearing Xie Licheng out, he said softly, "So you're saying since Lengzhou is so close to the capital, if Dazhou falls apart, Lengzhou will be a battleground, and it'll be chaos here. You want me to take the Gu family and leave now?"

"Yes."

"But... the Gu family's roots are in Lengzhou. I doubt my father would be willing to leave so easily?"

On the surface, Gu Zhangyuan was the head of the Gu family now.

But when it came to relocating the entire clan, neither his father, his grandfather, nor the other clan elders would likely agree easily.

Unless... they witnessed Lengzhou descend into chaos with their own eyes, saw the flames of war rise across Dazhou.

Xie Licheng: "If they won't leave, then you must."

"Why must I leave? Do you think something bad will happen to me?"

Xie Licheng had truly underestimated him.

This delicate young master, who looked frail and cried at the drop of a hat, was surprisingly sharp and perceptive.

Xie Licheng didn't panic at the question. Instead, he stared at that face and said, "A beauty like you, so fair and tender, is the most vulnerable in times of chaos. And with the Gu family's wealth, someone like you would be in even greater danger."

Those were Xie Licheng's honest words, though saying them out loud still felt a bit cheesy.

Gu Zhangyuan didn't blush at the compliment. Instead, he instinctively leaned a little closer to Xie Licheng.

He wanted to read something from Xie Licheng's eyes—somehow, he always felt that Xie Licheng was extraordinary.

It was as if he knew everything, feared nothing, and could control everything.

Even while speaking of matters that concerned life and death for many, his entire demeanor remained utterly relaxed.

As if... whether it was chaos or war, they were all trivial matters to him.

Gu Zhangyuan stared for a long while but couldn't discern anything, only finding that Xie Licheng's gaze felt almost scorching.

Realizing they were standing far too close, he averted his eyes and said, "I understand. Thank you for the warning. When my father returns from his travels, I'll find a way to convince him."

Whether he could actually convince him, Gu Zhangyuan couldn't guarantee.

But regardless, he was genuinely grateful to Xie Licheng.

He felt that Xie Licheng wasn't the type to speak without basis—if he said such things, he must have noticed something.

The fact that Xie Licheng was willing to warn him showed that he truly cared.

Afterward, Xuan Cui arrived with her people, carrying a pile of things over.

Calling it a pile wasn't an exaggeration—there were several boxes alone.

Xuan Cui said to Xie Licheng with a smile, "These are all gifts from the young master, in thanks for your life-saving kindness."

Xie Licheng stepped forward and opened one of the boxes. Seeing it filled with gleaming gold, he couldn't help but smile at Gu Zhangyuan and say, "The young master is truly generous with me."

Gu Zhangyuan was indeed generous with him. Every time he'd given him a task in the past, he would hand him large sums of money. This time, he was even more direct—shoving good stuff at him, box after box.

Hearing that, Gu Zhangyuan stood up and gave Xie Licheng a respectful bow.

Xie Licheng was somewhat surprised. This eldest young master was so pampered and fragile.

He never thought he'd see the day this guy bowed to him.

"These are all thank-you gifts for you. Thank you for saving my life back then, and for saving so many other people too."

If Xie Licheng hadn't stepped in, Gu Zhangyuan would've died, the Gu family would've lost an estate, and a lot of innocent people would've died too.

Gu Zhangyuan genuinely felt Xie Licheng deserved this bow.

Xie Licheng walked over, reached out, and helped him up.

"It's nothing. Just give me the money—no need to bow to me."

When he killed those bandits back then, it wasn't all for Gu Zhangyuan and the folks at the Gu estate.

He had needed to level up at the time, so saving those people was more of a side benefit.

Once he was standing straight, Gu Zhangyuan pulled his wrist out of Xie Licheng's grip.

He said, "There's something else I need your help with today."

"What is it?"

Gu Zhangyuan paid well. Every time Xie Licheng did a job for him, he'd fork over a decent chunk of silver.

So in a way, it wasn't really Xie Licheng doing Gu Zhangyuan a favor.

More like, Gu Zhangyuan put up the money and he put in the work—they were partners.

Gu Zhangyuan said, "I need you to go to that estate one more time. I want you to find something for me there."

Xie Licheng: "What is it?"

"That steward stashed away one of the Gu family's recipes, along with all the estate's valuable herbs. I found out when I was questioning him with my men. I just know they're in his room—I need you to make the trip and bring them back."

Xie Licheng smiled. "Easy. I'll go."

Hearing that, Gu Zhangyuan couldn't help but warn him.

"Be careful. You killed the bandits' second and third in command before, so a lot of their people probably know your face. Plus, that place is right up against the mountains—there's gotta be more bandits hiding up there. Going alone, you gotta be careful about everything."

Xie Licheng said he got it and was about to grab his gifts and leave.

Seeing how careless he was about it, Gu Zhangyuan hesitated, then chased after him and shoved a safety charm into his hand.

This charm was something he'd gotten for himself a long time ago. Now he was giving it to Xie Licheng.

He knew Xie Licheng had real skill, and he knew this task wasn't difficult for him.

But Xie Licheng was too cocky, and he worried the guy didn't value his own life enough.

This was the first time Xie Licheng had ever gotten a gift from anyone, let alone something with that kind of intimate vibe.

He smiled and picked it up to look at it. Knowing Gu Zhangyuan was genuinely worried about him, he actually made a rare promise.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to me."

With that, he turned to leave, but then saw Gu Zhangyuan staring at him with hopeful eyes, looking genuinely worried.

Xie Licheng's heart went soft. He couldn't help turning back, walking over, and pulling the guy into a tight hug.

He'd wanted to hold this delicate young man like this for a long time.

Now that he finally could, he couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Held tight in his arms, Gu Zhangyuan's soft, fragrant body pressed against his solid chest, and his pretty face went hot.

He pushed at Xie Licheng hard, and when he couldn't budge him, he whispered, "What are you doing?"

Xie Licheng: "Nothing. Just wanted to hold you."

Gu Zhangyuan quickly glanced at Xuan Cui and the others, signaling there were other people in the room.

Xie Licheng saw it, but he didn't care.

He leaned close to Gu Zhangyuan's ear and said softly, "Take care of yourself. I'll be back soon."

Gu Zhangyuan's ears were sensitive. Feeling the warmth of his breath, his legs could barely hold him up.

Xie Licheng smiled at that and easily lifted him back into the chair with one arm.

Once he was sitting steady, Xie Licheng reached out and pinched his red earlobe before striding off.

Afterward, Xie Licheng returned to his own courtyard and looked over the gifts Gu Zhangyuan had given him.

Besides the box of gold, there were quite a few other valuable items.

Two bolts of cloud-patterned brocade, two sets of fine robes, a pair of leather boots, a jade pendant, a box of silver, a box of pearls, and a jeweled dagger.

Xie Licheng took out the dagger and looked at it, saying with a helpless smile, "Something this pretty—I couldn't bear to use it to kill anyone."

With that, he put everything into his portable space.

Thinking about the task Gu Zhangyuan had given him—if he was asking personally, it definitely wasn't anything ordinary.

Xie Licheng didn't delay. Early the next morning, he left the Gu estate.

He left in the morning and got to the estate by evening.

By then, the estate was under the control of the local officials, and even the Gu family couldn't come and go as they pleased.

Judging by how the officials were acting, it seemed like they were there to get justice for the Gu family. But really, they'd taken over the whole place, which made it look more like they wanted to loot whatever was inside.

It was exactly because regular people couldn't get in and out easily that Gu Zhangyuan had asked Xie Licheng to come himself.

Xie Licheng was good enough to sneak in quietly and find what he needed without anyone noticing.

To make sure he could find the stuff without trouble, Xie Licheng waited until it was fully dark, then changed into dark clothes and slipped in.

By now, the farmers had been moved out, and there weren't many officials stationed there. Getting in was easy for Xie Licheng.

Speaking of which, Xie Licheng found something pretty weird.

Officials and bandits were natural enemies, and yet this estate sat right on the bandits' turf.

They agreed to help the Second Master of the Gu Family kill Gu Zhangyuan only for the sake of this manor.

Now that there were hardly any people left in the manor, the authorities had only posted a few men to guard it.

By all logic, the bandits holed up in the mountains should've come down to raid the place.

But judging by the current situation, the authorities and the bandits seemed to be getting along just fine...

Xie Licheng couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

But since he was already inside the manor, he didn't have time to dwell on it for now.

Xie Licheng didn't know the place well, so tracking down the steward's quarters would take some doing.

And then... as he wandered around, he ran into another problem.

Xie Licheng spotted a vaguely familiar face—one of the bandits he'd run into before.

On the day the manor was attacked, Xie Licheng had killed the bandits' Second and Third Chiefs, and a few of the bandits who were there had managed to slip away in the chaos.

Xie Licheng had a sharp memory—he remembered one bandit with a scarred face and a gimpy leg.

Just now, while sneaking around the manor, he'd spotted a man with a limp.

The man was carrying a lantern, and in its glow, Xie Licheng thought he saw a scar on his face too.

Xie Licheng frowned and quickly headed after the man.

He'd planned to grab the guy for questioning, but following him unexpectedly led Xie Licheng straight to the steward's residence he'd been hunting for.

Xie Licheng couldn't help but chuckle—he hadn't expected to stumble onto such a huge conspiracy by accident.

He knew the prefect of Lingzhou was a bad apple.

But he never expected the guy to be in cahoots with the bandits.

Besides, the novel had never mentioned any link between the prefect and the bandits, which is why he'd assumed they couldn't possibly be working together.

Now it seemed he couldn't fully trust what the book said.

It wasn't that the book was wrong—it was that his transmigration had changed too many things, making even the impossible possible. From now on, he'd have to be more careful.

With that in mind, Xie Licheng didn't rush in to grab anyone.

He saw there were people in the room, so he crept closer, hoping to eavesdrop.

There were two people in the room—one was the scar-faced bandit, and the other looked like a bandit too, though his rank was unclear.

They were speaking in hushed tones, and Xie Licheng couldn't catch everything—only bits and pieces about moving goods.

Xie Licheng figured they were planning to secretly haul the manor's stuff up into the mountains.

Maybe... if he followed them into the mountains, he might stumble onto something good.

With that in mind, Xie Licheng quickly found a spot to hide.

He lay low in the manor, patiently waiting until the third night, when he finally saw several bandits hauling goods and quietly heading up the mountain.

Xie Licheng followed at a distance, keeping pace. The mountain trails were treacherous at night, crawling with poisonous bugs and snakes.

The bandits moved slowly, staying extremely cautious the whole way.

As if worried about being tailed, they deliberately took a longer detour.

They kept at it until nearly dawn, when Xie Licheng finally followed them to their mountain hideout.

There were way more bandits than he'd expected. Seeing this, Xie Licheng smirked slightly, feeling like a wolf walking into a flock of sheep.

The wolf in this scenario, of course, wasn't the bandits—it was him.