Chapter 29

Chapter 29

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

Back when they were at the estate, Xie Licheng had not only saved him but also saved so many people there.

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

Some of it came from the Gu family's storeroom, and some came from Gu Zhangyuan's personal treasury.

There was a ton of stuff, so when Xuan Cui went to fetch it, she brought along two martial-arts matrons.

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

Gu Zhangyuan had changed into something more formal and proper before taking his sweet time heading to the study to meet his guest.

When Xie Licheng saw Gu Zhangyuan, he silently thought to himself, "Damn, what a beauty." A great beauty indeed—looked amazing with just a little effort put into his appearance.

Today, Gu Zhangyuan was genuinely gorgeous—dignified, elegant, and radiating that rare, expensive kind of beauty. It was a bit different from the last few times; today, he even seemed to have carefully shaped his eyebrows.

It was almost bedtime, and Xie Licheng couldn't help but wonder if he was reading too much into it, feeling like Gu Zhangyuan had dressed up on purpose for him.

Gu Zhangyuan sat down in the chair facing Xie Licheng, then looked up at him and asked, "What brings you to see me?"

Xie Licheng glanced at Yuan Qiao at that, and she immediately caught on and turned to leave.

Once Yuan Qiao was out of the study, Xie Licheng stepped closer to Gu Zhangyuan.

They were already pretty close, and with Xie Licheng's long legs, that one deliberate step made him practically tower over Gu Zhangyuan.

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

Xie Licheng didn't plan on doing anything to him—he'd gotten close because he had something important to say.

Xie Licheng lowered his voice and said, "I've got something I need to tell you."

Gu Zhangyuan looked at the man so close to him—tall, imposing, and just overwhelming—and said, "Mm, go ahead."

Xie Licheng said, "Up north, bandits are causing trouble, and the court hasn't sent troops to deal with them. They're getting more powerful by the day, and now even Lengzhou City's got bandits. Meanwhile, down south, floods have wiped out tons of farmland and homes, and there are also pirates raising hell overseas. And the court hasn't shown any sign of sending disaster relief either."

As Xie Licheng said all this, his voice was heavy, and his tone was grim, and it made you feel uneasy just listening to him.

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

He already knew about the things Xie Licheng was talking about. He felt that the court's continued inaction was a sign that things were about to blow up.

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

Now, hearing Xie Licheng bring it up, a bad feeling started to well up inside him.

Xie Licheng said, "Lengzhou is right next to the capital city. There's no way the court in the capital doesn't know about the bandit situation here. But instead of sending troops to deal with them, they're planning to build massive palaces. The Great Zhou is already starting to fall apart. You'd better start making plans for the Gu family now."

Before this, Xie Licheng had no intention of telling anyone ahead of time that the world was about to descend into chaos.

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

He wouldn't risk exposing himself to danger for the sake of others' lives.

But Gu Zhangyuan was an exception. Though they hadn't spent much time together, a bond had formed between them.

Thinking of Gu Zhangyuan's fate in the original story, Xie Licheng wanted to change his destiny, to help him escape the chaos before it was too late.

Moreover, Gu Zhangyuan was kind-hearted by nature; he wouldn't casually share what Xie Licheng told him with others.

Xie Licheng hadn't revealed his identity or the secrets he carried. What he was telling Gu Zhangyuan now all came from his own deductions. Gu Zhangyuan wouldn't see Xie Licheng as a threat just because of his speculations.

Gu Zhangyuan was a clever man. After hearing Xie Licheng's words, he said softly, "You're saying that Lengzhou is close to the capital, so if the Great Zhou falls into chaos, Lengzhou will become a contested ground, and it will be thrown into turmoil. 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 easily?"

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

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

Unless... they witnessed the chaos in Lengzhou with their own eyes, saw the flames of war rising across the Great Zhou.

Xie Licheng said, "They may not want to leave, but you must."

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

It had to be said—Xie Licheng had truly underestimated him.

This delicate young master, who seemed fragile and prone to tears, was actually sharp and perceptive.

Xie Licheng didn't panic at his question. Instead, he stared at his face and said, "A beauty like you, so fair and delicate, is in the most danger in times of chaos. And with the Gu family being wealthy, someone like you would be even more at risk."

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

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

He wanted to read something from Xie Licheng's eyes. For some reason, he always felt that Xie Licheng was extraordinary.

He seemed to know everything, fear nothing, and have everything under control.

Even when discussing matters of life and death for many people, his overall demeanor remained remarkably relaxed.

It was as if... neither chaos nor war were anything more than trivial matters to him.

Gu Zhangyuan stared for a long while but couldn't discern anything. Instead, he felt that Xie Licheng's gaze was somewhat scorching.

Realizing they were standing a bit 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 persuade him."

As for whether he could succeed, Gu Zhangyuan couldn't guarantee that.

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 now showed that he truly cared.

Afterward, Xuan Cui led people in carrying over a pile of items.

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

Xuan Cui smiled and said to Xie Licheng, "These are all thank-you gifts from the young master, for saving his life before."

Xie Licheng stepped forward and opened one box, revealing a layer of 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 gave him a task in the past, he'd hand over large sums of money. This time, he was even more direct, handing him box after box of good stuff.

Hearing this, Gu Zhangyuan stood up and gave Xie Licheng a deep bow.

Xie Licheng was a bit surprised. This Eldest Young Master was so pampered and fussy.

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

"These are all thank-you gifts for you, Benefactor, for saving my life and so many others."

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 been killed too.

Gu Zhangyuan truly felt Xie Licheng deserved that bow.

Xie Licheng walked over and helped Gu Zhangyuan up.

"No big deal. Just pay me, no need for the bow."

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

He needed to level up back then, so saving those people was just a bonus.

After Gu Zhangyuan stood up straight, he pulled his wrist out of Xie Licheng's grip.

He said, "There's one more thing I need you to do today."

"What is it?"

Gu Zhangyuan paid well. Every time Xie Licheng did a job for him, he got a good chunk of silver.

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

It was more like Gu Zhangyuan paid, Xie Licheng worked—they were partners.

Gu Zhangyuan said, "I need you to go back to that estate and find something for me."

Xie Licheng asked, "What is it?"

"That Steward hid a Gu family recipe and stashed away the estate's valuable herbs. I found out when I interrogated him with my men. I just know they're in his room—you'll need to go get them."

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

Seeing how casual he was, Gu Zhangyuan couldn't help but warn him.

"Be careful. You killed the bandits' Second Chief and Third Chief, so a lot of their guys probably know your face. Plus, that place is right by the mountains—there's gotta be more bandits hiding up there. Going alone, you gotta be careful every step."

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

Seeing how unconcerned he was, Gu Zhangyuan thought for a sec, then chased after him and shoved a safety charm into his hand.

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

He knew Xie Licheng was skilled and that this task was easy for him.

But Xie Licheng was too cocky, and Gu Zhangyuan worried he didn't care about his own life.

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

He smiled and picked it up, realizing Gu Zhangyuan really cared about him. So, for once, he actually reassured him.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

With that, he started to leave, but then he saw Gu Zhangyuan staring at him with those worried eyes, like he was really scared for him.

Xie Licheng's heart softened. He couldn't help but turn around, walk over, and pull the guy into his arms.

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

Now that he finally could, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Gu Zhangyuan, held tight against him, felt his soft, fragrant body pressed to Xie Licheng's solid chest, and his handsome face burned.

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

Xie Licheng replied, "Nothin'. Just wanted to hold you."

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

Xie Licheng saw that, but he didn't give a damn.

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

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

Seeing this, Xie Licheng smiled and easily lifted him into the chair with one arm.

Once he was seated and steady, Xie Licheng reached out, gently pinched his red earlobe, and strode off.

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

Besides the box of gold, there were a lot of other valuable stuff.

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

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

With that, he stored everything in his personal space.

Thinking about the task Gu Zhangyuan had given him—something he'd personally ask him to do—it was definitely no ordinary thing.

Xie Licheng didn't waste any time. Early the next morning, he left the Gu estate.

He left at dawn and got to the estate by evening.

By then, the estate was under government control, and even the Gu family couldn't come and go freely.

Judging by the officials' attitude, it seemed like they were there to get justice for the Gu family. In reality, they'd taken over the estate, which made it look like they wanted to swallow up everything inside.

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

Xie Licheng was skilled enough to sneak in and search for the stuff without being noticed.

To make sure he could find everything smoothly, Xie Licheng waited until it was fully dark, changed into dark clothes, and slipped in.

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

Speaking of which, Xie Licheng found something odd. Officials and bandits were natural enemies, yet this estate sat right in the middle of bandit territory.

They'd only agreed to help the Second Master of the Gu Family kill Gu Zhangyuan because of this estate.

Now that the estate's mostly empty, the government's only sent a few men to guard it.

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

But from the looks of it, the government and the bandits seem to be getting along just fine...

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

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

Xie Licheng didn't know the place well, so tracking down the Steward's residence 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.

The day the estate went down, Xie Licheng had killed the bandits' Second Chief and Third Chief, and a few of the others had managed to slip away in the chaos.

Xie Licheng had a sharp memory, and he recalled one bandit with a scarred face and a limp.

Just now, while sneaking around the estate, he'd spotted a man with a bad leg.

The man was carrying a lantern, and in its glow, Xie Licheng caught sight of what looked like a scar on his face too.

Xie Licheng frowned and quickly followed in the direction the man had gone.

He'd meant to grab the guy for questioning, but to his surprise, following him led straight to the Steward's residence—the one he'd been hunting for all along.

Xie Licheng couldn't help but smirk, realizing he'd stumbled onto a major conspiracy by pure luck.

He knew the Prefect of Lingzhou wasn't a good man.

But he never expected him 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 in league.

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

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

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

He noticed there were other 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 spoke in hushed tones, and Xie Licheng couldn't catch it all—only bits and pieces about moving goods.

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

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

With that thought, Xie Licheng quickly ducked into a hiding spot.

He lay low in the estate, patient as could be, until the third night, when he saw several bandits hauling goods out of the estate and up into the mountains.

Xie Licheng followed at a safe distance. The mountain trails were rough at night, crawling with poisonous bugs and snakes.

The bandits moved slowly, being extra careful the whole way.

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

They kept at it until almost dawn, when Xie Licheng finally followed them to their hideout deep in the mountains.

There were more bandits than he'd expected, and seeing that, Xie Licheng curled his lips into a slight smile, feeling like a wolf among sheep.

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