My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 76

76

Two days later, before dawn, Gu Qingci was awakened by Wen Renyi.

These past few days, Gu Qingci had needed more sleep than usual, her biological clock was disrupted, and waking up naturally was out of the question.

Gu Qingci rubbed her face to shake off the drowsiness and hurriedly washed up and changed clothes.

“Everything is arranged. Are you sure you’re going alone?” After Gu Qingci finished preparing, Wen Renyi asked in a low voice.

“Mm. Don’t worry. Keep an eye on things here.” Gu Qingci said, her expression extremely solemn.

Gu Qingci went out and boarded a carriage. Outside the gate, a thousand Tiger Guard soldiers stood ready, and she led them out of the city.

Even the carriage driver was a Tiger Guard.

The group of over a thousand marched in grand formation.

Gu Qingci watched the scenery outside from the carriage. The carriage was following the route she had planned.

The Tiger Guard soldiers all looked like they were not to be trifled with.

Gu Qingci actually only brought them along—clearly, she thought her Feilong Army was too weak.

If they wanted to fight a war, they still had to rely on the Tiger Guard.

Going to war in a carriage—if the Turkic soldiers really came to ambush them, the carriage would be cumbersome and slow. So fragile—let’s see who would protect her then.

Many of them thought this way, and though a few harbored ulterior motives, they hid them well.

After traveling over fifty li, Gu Qingci ordered the driver to stop the carriage.

“Please inform the commandant to have everyone rest here. I need to relieve myself.” Gu Qingci said to the driver.

The driver was also a Tiger Guard soldier. Hearing Gu Qingci’s words, his expression shifted slightly.

They had only just set out, and she already needed to relieve herself?

What kind of battle was this?

But as a lowly soldier, he could only obey the orders of his superiors and relayed the message.

The highest-ranking officer of the Tiger Guard, Commandant Li, ordered the soldiers to rest where they were.

Gu Qingci did not leave the carriage. Instead, she had the driver steer it toward a patch of woods by the roadside, advancing a short distance until it could go no further before she got out.

“Not acclimated to the local environment, my stomach is upset—it might take a while. Could you please step farther away and inform the captain to keep everyone back? It’s really… undignified.” Gu Qingci said to the coachman.

The coachman’s expression was also unwell, and he responded to Gu Qingci with a perfunctory nod.

Gu Qingci lifted her skirt and walked into the small grove.

It was midsummer, and the trees and wild grass in the grove were lush. Gu Qingci hadn’t gone far before both sides lost sight of each other.

She didn’t actually relieve herself but stopped at a spot, crouched down, and pressed her ear to the ground to listen.

After a quarter of an hour, the Tiger Guard waiting outside grew impatient. Captain Li shouted, but there was no response.

“Captain Li, as a female alpha, I volunteer to investigate and call General Gu back.” one of the Tiger Guard said to Captain Li.

“…” Captain Li stared ahead with a grim expression and nodded.

The Tiger Guard member headed into the small grove.

Gu Qingci heard the sound and crouched down, pretending. Soon, her sense of danger flared—a rush of wind came from behind. Prepared, Gu Qingci reacted swiftly, dodging the attack and countering by locking her arm around the assailant’s neck.

With her strength restored to sixty or seventy percent, Gu Qingci’s sudden exertion, combined with targeting the vulnerable neck, instantly left the attacker red-faced.

She controlled her strength and delivered a punch to the temple, knocking the person unconscious.

After catching her breath for a moment, Gu Qingci waved toward another direction. Two figures covered in green grass stood up and dragged the unconscious person away.

Outside, someone called again, urging her. Gu Qingci responded with a shout.

“Help! Murder! Someone’s trying to kill me! Help!”

Shouting, Gu Qingci stumbled out of the grove in disarray.

She ran toward the Tiger Guard, reached the carriage, and immediately unhitched the horse from the carriage. Mounting it, she rode back the way they had come.

By the time the Tiger Guard reacted, Gu Qingci had already ridden some distance away.

“General Gu!” Captain Li called out to her.

“Someone in the Tiger Guard is trying to kill me! None of you come near! Anyone who dares chase me will be treated as a traitorous spy!” Gu Qingci shouted back, her voice trembling as if terrified.

Those who had been about to pursue her hesitated.

“General Gu, what are you talking about? Every member of my Tiger Guard is loyal and devoted—how could there possibly be a spy?! You few, go check what happened with that soldier just now.” Captain Li frowned and spoke, watching as Gu Qingci ran far into the distance, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

“General Gu is in too much danger; she might run into Turkic cavalry. For her safety, follow me to bring her back!” Captain Li glanced at his men and selected a few to join him.

“Captain Li, since General Gu has already said as much, why bother chasing her? If she encounters Turkic cavalry, it’s her own fault.” someone said.

“General Gu is just momentarily frightened. Once we save her, she’ll understand our good intentions.” Captain Li replied.

Captain Li ordered the rest to wait where they were and took ten riders to pursue Gu Qingci.

Gu Qingci’s horse was an ordinary one, not particularly good, so Captain Li and his men quickly closed the distance.

“Wait, don’t come any further! I said, anyone who dares chase me will be treated as a spy! Who dares take another step forward?!” As the gap narrowed, Gu Qingci turned her horse around and shouted at the pursuers.

The ten or so riders chasing her did not stop. One of them even threw a lasso, snaring the head of Gu Qingci’s horse.

Gu Qingci bent low to avoid it, dismounted, and stumbled forward as if scrambling clumsily, yet her speed was surprisingly fast.

The Tiger Guard had caught the horse and accelerated to encircle Gu Qingci.

However, just as they were about to close in on her, the galloping horses suddenly lurched forward and toppled. The sound of horses neighing and men screaming in pain followed.

Right before Gu Qingci’s eyes was a pitfall trap for horses, cleverly disguised. Only the few spots she had stepped on were solid ground.

Beneath the trap were sharpened wooden stakes.

Eight out of the ten charging riders and their horses were impaled clean through.

Gu Qingci’s eyes turned icy as she watched the two who had reacted quickly and jumped off their horses.

Their horses had already been skewered, and both men were splattered with bl00d.

One of them, sensing something was wrong, tried to flee, but Captain Li drew his blade and charged straight at Gu Qingci.

“I underestimated you. You—you deserve to die!” Captain Li snarled viciously, swinging his sword at Gu Qingci.

Gu Qingci swiftly dodged and, from her sleeve, a hidden crossbow fired an arrow that struck Lieutenant Li’s wrist as he held his sword.

Such an officer, being a traitor, must know something about Xu Dace’s schemes and could serve as a witness. It might be possible to pry some information out of him.

That’s why Gu Qingci didn’t aim for a fatal blow.

With his hand injured, the sword slipped from his grip. Gu Qingci stepped forward, grabbed the arrow, and yanked it out. Seizing the moment of his extreme pain, she drove her knee into his abdomen and subdued him with a series of rapid strikes.

As for the other one who tried to flee, he had already been shot dead by an archer hidden among the grass blades.

These men were all arranged by Gu Qingci with Cao Hang’s help.

To avoid detection by the Turkic soldiers, they had set out two nights prior and spent the past few days digging trenches and setting various traps outside.

Using the method Gu Qingci described, they crafted “ghillie suits” to conceal themselves while working during the day and moved freely at night.

Gu Qingci waved toward the distance, and several figures emerged to clean up the aftermath.

She then rode back to where the main force of the Tiger Guard was waiting.

“Lieutenant Li and his men disregarded my orders and pursued me. They have been captured by the people I arranged. Military orders are as weighty as mountains—what I say is the law!” Gu Qingci raised her voice, addressing the crowd with a cold, stern gaze.

The Tiger Guard soldiers, seeing the bloodstains on Gu Qingci’s clothes, were all startled.

It felt as if Gu Qingci had become a completely different person.

“From now on, the brigade commanders will lead their respective squads to follow me. You will do exactly as I command—defiance means death.” Gu Qingci declared to the crowd.

Those who had previously been somewhat defiant now looked at Gu Qingci, sensing something unusual.

Gu Qingci had set up an ambush nearby!

Even if some still harbored resentment, they obediently followed Gu Qingci for the sake of their own lives.

Gu Qingci had previously judged that not all of these Tiger Guard soldiers could be traitors, and now it seemed her assessment was correct.

Otherwise, Lieutenant Li wouldn’t have brought only ten men while ordering the rest to wait in place.

Gu Qingci led the group on a detour, not advancing forward as planned toward the nearby Sui City, but instead heading in the opposite direction for a stretch before looping around.

Instead of taking the proper, wide-open road, she insisted on moving in single file, zigzagging in an unorthodox manner.

The crowd didn’t know what Gu Qingci intended to do, but given what she had just said, they remained silent for the time being.

Before long, Gu Qingci had everyone rest in a clearing.

“General Gu, this isn’t a suitable place to rest. It’s too open on all sides. If the Turkic cavalry arrives, we’ll be at a disadvantage.” one of the leading officers said to Gu Qingci.

The warhorses of the Turkic cavalry were generally superior to those used by the soldiers of the Daheng Dynasty, especially the horses used for raids—each one was a thousand-mile steed, far surpassing the speed and endurance of the Daheng soldiers.

An open road with no cover was a grave mistake when facing Turkic cavalry.

“Follow orders!” Gu Qingci glanced at the officer and dismounted, pressing herself to the ground.

The officer’s expression shifted as he watched Gu Qingci.

Was she leading them all to their deaths by having them wait here?

This person, who had always been so immaculately dressed and refined, who hadn’t even ridden a horse the entire journey—preferring to stay in a carriage—was now lying on the ground. Her behavior was utterly baffling!

Gu Qingci pressed her ear to the ground to listen for the sound of approaching cavalry.

Sound travels through solids, and if a large group of cavalry was approaching, this would allow her to detect them earlier.

“Prepare your arrows! Hold your bows at the angle I instructed, draw them fully, and release when I give the command!” Gu Qingci stood and shouted to the troops.

The Tiger Guard all carried bows and arrows, and they naturally complied with her orders.

But there was nothing ahead—what were they drawing their bows for?

At first, the surroundings were quiet, but gradually, the vibrations grew louder. The sound of horses neighing and men shouting approached rapidly.

“Fire!” Gu Qingci estimated the distance and gave the first command.

The Turkic cavalry moved with incredible speed, making it extremely difficult to hit them with arrows.

Relying on her experience and her estimation of the enemy’s speed, Gu Qingci had the troops loose several volleys of arrows.

As long as they followed her instructions, their arrows were bound to strike either horse or rider.

This made the Tiger Guard soldiers view Gu Qingci in a slightly different light.

After firing over a dozen arrows, many of the Turkic cavalry’s horses and riders were injured, but the soldiers seemed unfazed by the pain, maintaining their speed as the cold gleam of their lances flashed menacingly.

Even the highly skilled Tiger Guard, known for their bravery, began to feel a twinge of fear at this sight.

“General Gu, it’s the Wolf Charge Army!” someone shouted, their voice trembling with fear.

The ferocious Wolf Charge Army was the elite of the Turkic cavalry.

“Keep firing arrows!” Gu Qingci ignored the warning and simply shouted the order.

As the Turkic cavalry closed in, the arrows were nearly exhausted.

“Draw your blades and prepare!” Gu Qingci shouted again, and the soldiers unsheathed their swords.

The Tiger Guard were also selected from the best, and fleeing from battle was not an option.

Yet now, their hands gripping the swords trembled slightly.

This young General Gu was going to get them all killed, wasn’t he?

Just as despair began to set in, the charging cavalry at the front suddenly toppled one after another, bl00d splattering everywhere.

It was the same horse pits as before.

The front ranks included some of the Wolf Charge Army, suffering heavy casualties.

Those behind, carried forward by momentum, tripped over the fallen, causing further chaos and damage.

In an instant, men and horses were thrown into disarray.

The Tiger Guard watched in stunned silence.

No wonder Gu Qingci had led them on such a winding path earlier—it was all a trap!

“Charge!” Gu Qingci gave the order, and the soldiers, without another thought, raised their swords and rushed forward.

On both sides of the main road, where it had originally appeared to be just grassland, over a thousand people surged out, each wielding spears as they launched an attack from behind the cavalry.

The Turkic cavalry had never suffered such a crushing defeat.

The soldiers of Daheng had also never fought so fiercely against the Turkic cavalry before.

Amid the charge and slaughter, bl00d stained the road, and the sounds of shouts and screams were unceasing.

No one knew how much time had passed before the battle finally ended.

Some began to clean up the aftermath, while Gu Qingci sat to the side, drinking water.

“General Gu, are you alright? Were you injured?” Cao Hang rushed over and asked Gu Qingci first.

“I’m fine. I didn’t engage. Take some men and come with me to Sui City to see how much grain we can gather and bring back.” Gu Qingci said, standing up.

To maintain the image of being physically weak, Gu Qingci had refrained from fighting in front of the troops, hiding in the rear after giving the order to attack.

Now, not a single soldier in the Tiger Guard dared to speak a word against Gu Qingci—they were utterly convinced.

Cao Hang nodded. Their primary objective for this mission was still to quickly secure some provisions.

After a brief rest, Cao Hang selected a group of men to accompany Gu Qingci to Sui City.

By the time they arrived at Sui City, it was already the second day at the hour of Yin. Gu Qingci still did not reveal their identity, only instructing Cao Hang to announce their presence and demand the city gates be opened.

Upon meeting the city’s defending general, Cao Hang directly requested to borrow grain.

“General Cao, it’s not that we’re unwilling to lend, but the surplus grain has already been transported to Wu City.” the defending general of Sui City pleaded poverty.

“First, go ask in the shops, then visit each household to buy some grain.” After confirming that the other side indeed didn’t have much food and fodder, Gu Qingci said to Cao Hang.

Cao Hang took some men to search for grain, while Gu Qingci felt somewhat troubled.

The location of Wu City was strategically important, and with so many soldiers to feed, borrowing grain from the surrounding areas wasn’t an option. Waiting for the imperial court to send provisions was uncertain—there was no telling if they would arrive in time.

For now, they could only try to think of a solution.

Meanwhile, far away in Yanjing City, the scene remained one of bustling prosperity.

News of a newly opened official store had already spread. Over the past few days, the business at this official store, which bore a plaque inscribed with the character “Ruan” for Jucheng Trading Company, had been exceptionally lively.

This was Ruan Zhi’s new venture.

In addition to supplying the imperial palace, the store was also open to the public, selling goods of exceptionally high quality that were rarely seen on the market. Whether nobles or commoners, everyone wanted to visit, whether to buy in bulk or just to browse and broaden their horizons.

Ruan Zhi was in the back office of the store reviewing the account books from the past few days and was fairly satisfied with the current profits.

“Madam, the best-selling items these days have been fine salt, glassware, and shimmering satin. I’ve listed the daily required quantities in the account books. The current stock can last—”

“Oh, Madam, the Sima family’s people have been making inquiries. After being rebuffed, they’ve even started targeting the store’s clerks, trying to uncover the secrets of our official store. But how could they possibly replicate the goods in our store? I’m worried they might resort to underhanded tactics if they remain unsatisfied. If they manage to poach a few master craftsmen from the workshops, it could compromise our security.” the store manager reported to Ruan Zhi.

The manager was someone Ruan Zhi trusted, and with a share of the profits given to him, he was even more invested in the store than Ruan Zhi herself.

Hearing about the Sima family, Ruan Zhi frowned.

The Sima family was one of the earliest imperial merchants. Years ago, they had produced a Tanhua (the third-highest scorer in the imperial examinations), who married a princess. After shifting their focus to commerce, they became imperial merchants thanks to the princess’s connections.

With their deep resources and the trust of Emperor Changping, they had a formidable foundation.

She hadn’t expected them to covet her current business.

If they really wanted to squeeze out her official store, they might indeed resort to dirty tricks.

“You’ve done well. Keep a close eye on the workshops. Report to the authorities if necessary. Inform me immediately of any news. I will report directly to His Majesty.” Ruan Zhi told the manager.

As an imperial merchant, Ruan Zhi had the privilege of submitting memorials directly to Emperor Changping.

The shopkeeper immediately responded.

After reviewing the account books and issuing some instructions, Ruan Zhi dismissed the shopkeeper.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

In the blink of an eye, Gu Qingci had already been gone for over twenty days.

Ruan Zhi had grown noticeably thinner during this time.

She had come to understand the meaning of longing—deeply, achingly so.

Whenever her mind was idle, she couldn’t help but think of her.

Pressing her fingers to her throbbing temples, Ruan Zhi tried to distract herself from the thoughts. Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“Madam, a letter from the master!” Lian Rui entered with a bright smile, handing Ruan Zhi a wax-sealed letter.

Her hands trembling slightly, Ruan Zhi took the letter and opened it.

“My love, I’ve arrived. Everything here is fine, except for the fact that you’re not here—I miss you terribly. I think of you when I sit, when I lie down… in short, I think of you in everything I do. My love, do you miss me?”

Gu Qingci’s neat, square handwriting leaped off the page.

Ruan Zhi’s eyes shimmered.

She missed her too.

After a while, she steadied her emotions and stepped outside.

Before she could inspect other areas, her carriage was stopped.

Ruan Zhi lifted the curtain and saw one of Ye Youli’s maidservants.

“Madam Gu, my mistress requests your presence in the teahouse private room.” the maid said hurriedly.

Noticing the urgency in the maid’s expression, Ruan Zhi wasted no time and followed her.

Upon entering the private room, Ruan Zhi immediately sensed something amiss from Ye Youli’s demeanor.

“What’s happened?” Ruan Zhi asked.

“Four hundred thousand dan of provisions bound for the northern frontier were hijacked! Additionally, an urgent dispatch from the north reported that the original granaries there were burned down. They’re demanding immediate replenishment of supplies.” Ye Youli said.

The news struck Ruan Zhi like a bolt of lightning.

By her calculations, Gu Qingci and the main forces would have arrived in the northern frontier days ago.

They had only brought half a month’s worth of provisions.

Without logistical support, how could they fight a war?

“How is the court handling this?” Ruan Zhi asked.

“Troops have been dispatched to track down the stolen provisions. The official in charge was from the Sima family and has already been punished. But the previous shipment had nearly emptied the reserves. Raising another batch of provisions now is extremely difficult. The major imperial merchants have all remained silent, none daring to take on this responsibility.” Ye Youli said with a sigh.

“Your Highness, I will take on the role of provisions officer!”

Ruan Zhi looked at Ye Youli and declared, her voice calm but her eyes burning with unshakable resolve.