Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 93

Engaging in close combat, Gu Yu Qi realised that these people were unexpectedly skilled! She had to muster all her energy to cope with them.

The assassins had a unified target which was Gu Yu Qi and Liang Huai Yu. Seeing the mother and daughter charging towards them on horseback, they recklessly lunged towards them.

Gu Yu Qi quickly assessed the situation and realised this would not do. Two fists could not deal against four hands. She glanced around and formulated a plan on the spot, “Chun Xing, Xia He, take their arrows. Zhao Wu, lead a team to raid their centre,” Gu Yu Qi shouted to Chun Xing, Xia He, and Zhao Wu as she fended off an assassin who was rushing towards her. Hearing her command, Chun Xing and Xia He felt happy and exchanged glances. At the same time, they shot down the two assassins closest to them and grabbed the quivers from their backs.

Their arrows were poisoned and they knew how potent the poison was. Both of them had witnessed the majority of the horse bandits who had attacked them earlier dying from these poisoned arrows. Even a slight scratch could quickly incapacitate a person.

Equipped with the poisoned arrows, Chun Xing and Xia He took aim at the rear row of assassins. Instead of aiming for fatal shots, their goal was to cause injuries. It would be best if they could injure several of them. Chun Xing and Xia He each loaded three poisoned arrows onto their bows. Simultaneously, they released their arrows and the six poisoned arrows shot out, flying close to the ground. Chun Xing and Xia He had shot along a cunning trajectory. Typically, archers aimed for an opponent’s head, throat, or chest. However, the two of them with their coordinated understanding had deliberately aimed low, targeting the assassins’ legs. Facing a larger enemy force, the goal was to swiftly reduce their offensive capabilities.

The six poisoned arrows whizzed through the air, making muffled sounds as they struck several people’s calves. The assassins initially felt a sharp pain followed by a numbing and itching sensation. Then, a chill spread upward from their calves. By the time they realised they had been hit, the poison had already begun to spread toward their hearts.

The effects of the poisoned arrows were immediate. Within a short time, several assassins fell to the ground.

Chun Xing and Xia He could not help but be happy at their successful strike. They immediately pulled back their bowstrings again, however, this time, it was not as easy to release the arrows. The assassins had realised the significant threat posed by the two women and had diverted some people specifically to deal with them.

Chun Xing and Xia He had to temporarily abandon their bows and draw their swords to engage in close combat. After dealing with two assailants, they equipped their bows for another round.

Wang Yan kept close beside Gu Yu Qi and Liang Huai Yu, constantly vigilant in protecting them. He suddenly found that fighting alongside Gu Yu Qi was extremely enjoyable because her predictions were accurate, and the Liang family’s spear marksmanship technique on horseback was impeccable. Liang Huai Yu was no different. The two of them had practised the spear techniques together no less than a hundred times. They usually cooperated well and were so familiar with each other’s intentions that Liang Huai Yu’s upward strikes seamlessly complemented Gu Yu Qi’s horizontal ones. Their two long spears intertwined to create a three-dimensional protective barrier, with Wang Yan only needing to handle any attackers from the sides.

Zhao Wu had not experienced such an exhilarating battle in a long, very long time. He felt like he had returned to the past when he served under General Liang. His sword skills were personally taught by General Liang, evolving from the Liang family’s marksmanship techniques. It was also extremely fierce and unyielding. When Gu Yu Qi ordered him to assault the centre, he instantly led his guards into the midst of the enemy, swiftly cutting through the tightly packed group of assassins.

Liang Huai Yu and Gu Yu Qi both hailed from a family of military commanders. They focused on immediately killing the enemy and every move of theirs carried a fierce and murderous aura. on the battlefield, where would there be time for any fancy moves to defeat the enemy?

Liang Huai Yu and Gu Yu Qi’s current advantage lay in them being on horseback, and long spears were more effective against weapons at close range. Every inch of length added power. Although the assassins were skilled and charged forward recklessly, Liang Huai Yu and Gu Yu Qi’s coordination was even more perfect. Coupled with Zhao Wu leading numerous guards to flank from the left and right, and with Chun Xing and Xia He occasionally shooting arrows from the rear, over time, the assassins who originally had the upper hand gradually found themselves in a disadvantageous position.

A young man stood far away on the top of a hill, silently observing the battle at the end of the valley. His face is adorned with a small and delicate mask, revealing only an almost perfect lower jaw and two cherry-red lips.

The longer he watched, the wider the smile on the corners of his lips became.

“Young Master, that woman is too formidable. I’m afraid the people we sent out this time will still end up completely wiped out,” a man in grey clothing stood by his side, his face covered by a grey mask, although it was not as exquisite as the one on the young man’s face. His voice, although not showing much fluctuation, still carried a trace of regret and dissatisfaction.

“Ah Hui, can you see anything in particular?” the young man asked with a smile, turning to the man in grey beside him.

“Subordinate was incompetent and could only see that the woman was not easy to deal with!” the man in grey clasped his fists and said with a hint of apology, “But rest assured, Young Master, this subordinate will find a way to handle this matter and not let our reputation suffer.”

“Hehe. No need to worry,” the young man waved his hand with a smile, “You don’t need to deal with this matter.”

“Young Master’s meaning is…” the man in grey looked at the young man in confusion.

“She’s a rare military talent,” the young man stood with his hands behind his back, watching the battle below. He could not help but say to the man in grey, “Look at her command, so clear and effective. Two archers going to the rear to attack, a powerful cavalry in the middle to disrupt the enemy’s formation, breaking them apart and killing them one by one. All the while, she and Liang Huai Yu supported the entire situation on the front, drawing all the opponent’s attention,” the young man sighed softly, “If such a rare talent could be used by me, then…”

Although the battle in front of him was on a small scale, the young girl could still maintain a calm mind despite a sudden ambush. She commanded her people with composure. It was truly admirable.

Standing on the mountain, the young man repeatedly envisioned a vast and magnificent war scene. Instead of facing fifty assassins, Gu Yu Qi was now confronting thousands of enemy troops and horses. She was no longer commanding just a few individuals like Zhao Wu, but the cavalry he gave her. With armoured horses and golden weapons, the sounds of killing were chilling. Between the girl’s stunning eyebrows, there was no other thought than to kill.

“Young Master’s meaning is…” the man in grey’s eyes flickered as he asked.

“I must have her!” The young man fell silent for a moment, then a brilliant smile suddenly bloomed from the corners of his lips that were so red they seemed bloodstained. He lowered his gaze to the back of his hand, where a shallow sword scar adorned his fair skin. The smile on his lips became even wider.

Gu Yu Qi. The young man silently repeated Gu Yu Qi’s name in his heart and from his eyes lit up with little sparks, like the vast starry sky.

As the stalemate continued, a one-sided situation began to emerge. Zhao Wu, leading numerous guards, manoeuvred through the assassin’s territory. Although there were only ten of them, they pierced through the enemy’s heart like a sharp knife, then twisted back and forth, splitting the assassins in the middle so they could not regroup. Meanwhile, Chun Xing and Xia He perfectly attacked the flanks with poisoned arrows from behind and occasionally brought down some more assassins.

Gu Yu Qi and Liang Huai Yu confronted the enemy head-on. As the young man had analysed, they attracted the attention of most assassins. This made Zhao Wu and Chun Xing fight more smoothly.

The outcome was already decided from the beginning of the battle.

Gu Yu Qi’s side eliminated more than 50 enemy assassins with a brilliant record of zero casualties. Adding the bandits from before, they defeated opponents several times their number with just a dozen or so people. Only one guard had been injured from carelessness with a deep gash on his arm.

Zhao Wu and his many guards thoroughly enjoyed the fight. It had been a long time since they had such a satisfying battle. The soldier’s mark in their blood began to surge in their veins. Their faces showed no signs of fatigue but rather a hint of excitement.

It was exhilarating!

Zhao Wu almost wanted to roar to the skies. Unexpectedly, protecting the young lady allowed him to encounter such a delightful battle.

Zhang Lan had been nervously protecting the carriage at the back and the people inside. He watched the battle in the front without missing a single detail. The more he watched, the more ashamed he felt, yet he could not suppress an inner sense of pride.

He watched Gu Yu Qi’s figure on top of the horse. This was someone he should serve and follow. Even if she was a woman, she was kind and intelligent with outstanding martial arts and had a calm mind. Just how many men in the world could compete with her?

He only hated that his own skills were too inferior. If possible, he would charge forward on horseback too while wielding a long spear, and fight the enemy!

Li Da and his two men were obviously stunned speechless. He knew Gu Yu Qi was formidable, but he had not expected her to be this formidable… He looked at her sitting proudly on horseback, holding a long spear in her hand, the spearhead aimed downward slightly with the originally white tassel of the spear now dyed with a few spots of deep red. Her red outfit under the midday sun appeared exceptionally dazzling, like the twice-bloomed flowers blooming on both sides of the River Styx, red as a red spider lily.

Even Wang Yan had to silently give a thumbs up to Gu Yu Qi in his heart. He had already prepared for the worst, planning to abandon everyone else and escape with Gu Yu Qi if they could not defeat the assassins. After all, His Highness had emphasised that Gu Yu Qi’s safety was more important than anything else. Yet unexpectedly, under her calm command, they not only defeated the assassins with a lesser number but won outright. It seemed like he would have to write several large pages for his report to His Highness today.

“Let’s leave quickly,” Gu Yuq Qi said, asking Zhao Wu to check the assassins and bandits to ensure there were no survivors.

These people were originally sacrificial soldiers. Once encountered, it was either you die or they die. Therefore, Gu Yu Qi had no reason to feel pity for them.

After a simple cleanup, they travelled day and night. Finally, they reached Kuizhou City in the afternoon of the third day.

Kuizhou City was located at the border of the three kingdoms. To the northwest was Daliang, to the northeast was Rouran, and this half belonged entirely to the Qi dynasty. In Kuizhou city, there was a Military Command with the dual responsibilities of city defence and internal affairs management. However, over the years, the Military Command seemed to focus more on city defence, and its management of internal affairs was not very clear.

This was mainly because Kuizhou City was a melting pot and it was just too difficult to manage. Moreover, there were many people from Daliang and Rouran living here. Dealing with Daliang was fine, but Rouran had been at odds with the Qi dynasty for many years and civil conflicts occurred constantly. If the Military Command had to handle everything, its personnel would have no time for anything else. They patrolled the streets daily to prevent brawls, so as long as things did not get too out of hand, the Military Command turned a blind eye.

Even if someone died, the Military Command would not be bothered to intervene as long as the victim did not file a complaint.

After entering the city, Gu Yu Qi first found a relatively large teahouse to rest.

Run Ying took out the property deed from her baggage and handed it to Gu Yu Qi. Gu YuQi instructed Zhao Wu to go and collect the house with the deed. She had bought this house back when she was still in the Marquis’s residence in preparation for this day.

Zhao Wu went to carry out the task, while Gu Yu Qi and Liang Huai Yu drank tea and observed the surroundings outside.

Gu Yu Qi undoubtedly lamented in her heart. Her dream for many years had finally come true. She had really brought her mother here.

Liang Huai Yu could not stop looking around. Compared to other major cities in the Qi dynasty, Kuizhou City seemed desolate. Half of the city wall was made of long strips of bluestone and the upper half was pounded with yellow soil… It appeared incredibly bleak and impoverished.

The streets lacked the neatness and wideness of those in the capital and Jiangnan. They were all dirt roads and when people or horses passed by, dust would rise in their wake. There was very little rain here, but during the rainy season, the roads would become muddy.

There were quite a few shops along the street, varying in height and appearance. The houses were dilapidated and mostly constructed with mud. In some places, more than half had collapsed and the roofs were not tiled but simply covered with grass. Occasionally, chickens, ducks, and other types of poultry would fly and jump around in the streets. Some households even had pigs and sheep tied at their doorsteps. If you got closer, the smell was really not pleasant.

Looking at the tables and chairs in this teahouse, they were very simple and made of untreated wood with only a layer of tung oil brushed on. The cups they held were very large and made of coarse porcelain. The surface felt rough to the touch. Moreover, this was one of the better tea houses in this town.

“Ah Nan, this place is too poor,” Liang Huai Yu could not help but lower her voice to say to Gu Yu Qi, “Are we really going to live here?”

“Does Mother think this place is not good?” Gu Yu Qi turned her head slightly, “But this is the border of the three countries and there is a Military Command, so it’s still very safe.” There was a delicate balance at the junction of the three countries. Even in the past few years when Rouran and the Qi dynasty fought fiercely, there had been no war here, only small-scale civilian conflicts.

“It’s not that it’s not good, but Mother just feels it’s too shabby for you,” Liang Huai Yu sighed slightly. She actually did not care where she lived, but Gu Yu Qi was still young. If she stayed in a place like this, then in the future… Nevermind, Liang Huai Yu also felt that she was thinking too much. They should just settle down first. Besides, her daughter strongly recommended this place, so she thought that she must have her own considerations. Along the way, Liang Huai Yu had already been too unbothered to ask what Gu Yu Qi wanted to do.

Either way, no matter what she did, she would accompany her.

Zhao Wu followed the address on the deed and went over. In a short while, he came back with a smile, “The house has been found. Eldest Miss and Young Miss, please follow me. The house is very nice.”

Gu Yu Qi’s worried heart was relieved. She had asked Run Yung to entrust a reliable merchant from the capital to buy this house here, and she had already stated all her requirements in advance. It took two years to find and buy this house, and it cost her a lot of money. However, she had never seen it with her own eyes so she had always been unsure.

Looking at Zhao Wu’s expression now, Gu Yu Qi also felt that the house should be reliable.

Zhao Wu led the group out of the teahouse and headed east. They stopped in front of a large courtyard in the southeast corner of Kuizhou City.

It was indeed a large courtyard, a lot bigger than Gu Yu Qi had imagined. The walls were built with blue stones, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding earthen walls. Although there were no glazed tiles on the wall, it was already quite impressive compared to the surroundings.

The main gate was wide and there were three low steps in front, all made of stones stacked together. Two small stone lions were placed at the entrance, roughly carved but still imposing. The wooden door was very thick, painted with black lacquer and it had copper door latches. Once inside the courtyard, there was a carved stone screen, depicting a group of fairies. Walking around the screen, the view suddenly opened up into a large courtyard. It was devoid of any flowers or plants and was just a stone-paved ground. Similar to the house Liang Huai Yu bought in Jiangxia City, this one also had three courtyards inside. However, it could not match the exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters over there. Everything here was more rough, carrying a strong northern flavour.

There were two gardens in the back, but unfortunately, there were few flowers and plants, and the gardens had been untended. Now that it was summer, the grass had grown tall and messy. However, the valuable thing was that the courtyards were equipped with many wells. In this region where rain was scarce, having these wells meant no worries about water shortages. Additionally, there was a large man-made lake in the courtyard of a considerable size. A zigzag bridge spanned the lake and the tips of lotus leaves emerged from the water, bringing a touch of elegance to the courtyard.

“You bought such a large courtyard?” Liang Huai Yu could hardly believe it. “It’s much larger than the courtyards in Jiangxia City, comparable to the Marquis’s residence in the capital!”

“Yes,” Gu Yu Qi smiled while leading her mother by the hand to explore the front and back. “Don’t be deceived by the size, it’s actually very cheap.” Many wealthy people here wanted to move south. Who would want to live here? So, the price of this courtyard was less than a third of the one in Jiangxia City.

“It’s good here!” Liang Huai Yu fell in love with this place after just one look. She kept holding Gu Yu Qi’s hand and said, “Ah Nan made a great choice.”

Not only did Liang Huai Yu like this place, but everyone else also liked it a lot. The courtyard was so large that one could roll around in it.

There were some furniture pieces inside the house, but they were no longer in good condition. Everyone immediately started taking action without Gu Yu Qi having to instruct them. They spontaneously and conscientiously divided up tasks among themselves. Zhang Lan’s men split up into groups. One went with Dai Mei to buy kitchen utensils and another followed Run Ying to purchase furniture. The remaining guards rolled up their sleeves to fetch water from the well and sweep the entire courtyard.

Chun Xing led a team to wipe the doors and windows. They first selected the place they would stay in and cleaned it, leaving other areas to be sorted out later.

Lin Xiu’er followed behind Gu Yu Qi to walk through other more remote parts of the courtyard. Many rooms were still locked, but with Lin Xiu’er around, there was no need to look for keys. Using her small hairpin, she effortlessly opened all the locks in the courtyard one by one.

While Gu Yu Qi and the others were busy, back in the capital, Yun Ke received a report from Wang Yan.

He stood up from his chair suddenly . Someone was actually trying to kill her! Who? Although Wang Yan made it clear that those people had not succeeded, he also mentioned that they were all sacrificial soldiers.

Sacrificial soldiers! Just who had she offended?

Accompanying the report was a small throwing knife. Yun Ke picked up the flying knife and examined it carefully. He felt like it was familiar but could not recall where he had seen it.

His thoughts stirred and he summoned a secret guard.

When the secret guard appeared before him, he was taken aback slightly and subconsciously put away the letter, “Oh it’s you, Du Xia.”

“Yes, I am on duty today,” Du Xia had already glimpsed the report on the table. He knew it was sent by Wang Yan, but previously, Yun Ke had not avoided the secret guards when reading the letters. However, this time… He felt a slight tremor in his heart. Could it be that something happened to Gu Yu Qi?

He could sense that Yun Ke did not avoid him with other matters. It was only when it came to Gu Yu Qi that he did not like his involvement. Even the letters from Wang Yan could not be delivered to His Highness through his hands.

This puzzled him. However, Yun Ke was the master and he was just a secret guard. He could only follow Yun Ke’s wishes.

He also noticed the small throwing knife on the table. It was likely sent with the letter. Wang Yan would not randomly send a hidden weapon for no reason. Could it be that they had really encountered some assassins?

Du Xia’s heart became uneasy and for a moment, he felt a chill.

“You can leave,” Yun Ke waved his hand, “Call Li Meng to come in.”

“Yes,” Du Xia came back to his senses and withdrew without making a sound.

If His Highness summoned him, it must mean there was something important. Yet, why not directly entrust the task to him? Yun Ke’s appreciation for him was palpable and he cherished every opportunity Yun Ke gave him, giving his all in every task.

The reason he was not assigned the task was not because he could not handle it. It was because he did not want him to do it.

Was it really about Gu Yu Qi? Where did that throwing knife come from?

Du Xia stood in the shadows but he pricked his ears, wanting to hear exactly what Yun Ke was asking Li Meng to do. Unfortunately, His Highness was determined not to let him know anything and he could not hear the faintest sound.