FBC – Chapter 176 Lesson

When Yuan Zhongyong saw the two of them charging in, his guards tried to block the way, but were quickly shoved aside by Chiyu and his men.

Gu Hua rushed straight up to Yuan Zhongyong, raised her dagger, and thrust it at his face.

The fright sobered him up halfway, and he scrambled back in panic. Cursing foully, he spat: “Whore! Mu Junyan has no time for you. I’m here to help you, and you don’t know what’s good for you!”

Gu Hua’s face turned green with fury. She stepped forward and gave him a vicious slap.

The blow sent him staggering and sprawling onto the uneven stone ground. His backside hit the sharp rocks so hard it felt as if it split in two, and he howled in pain.

Gu Hua barked harshly: “Drunk to the point of disgrace, no trace of an imperial officer’s bearing left! Throw them all into the pond to sober up!”

At her command, Chiyu grabbed Yuan Zhongyong and hurled him into the pond.

Then—splash, splash—over a dozen men were tossed in one after another like dumplings.

It was a winter night in December, and a thin sheet of ice had formed on the pond.

The cold shocked them all awake instantly.

Floundering in the water, cursing and shouting, they looked like a chorus of croaking frogs.

Gu Hua’s face was cold: “Still foul-mouthed? Then you’re not awake enough. Keep soaking.”

Chiyu and the guards stood by the pond with swords drawn. Each time someone tried to climb out, they struck him back down. One after another, climb—smack, climb—smack…

Shivering from the cold, the men saw the people on shore weren’t about to let them off.

One by one, they shut their mouths. Yuan Zhongyong’s arrogance also crumbled as he shook uncontrollably.

When Gu Hua judged they had had enough, she bent down and asked: “Lord Yuan, are you sober now?”

“You… y-you… c-crack… y-you… crack… insolent… ah-choo!”

His teeth clattered, words broken by sneezes, his face smeared with snot and tears.

Gu Hua straightened, hands folded before her: “Has the hangover soup been prepared? Bring it here—two pots for each of them!”

“You dare! Ah-choo, ah-choo!”

The attendants hurried to fetch it.

Gu Hua said icily: “Of course I dare. You dared to insult Duke Yong himself. If I don’t teach you a lesson, won’t that disgrace the Duke’s name?”

Yuan Zhongyong hugged himself, stiff-necked: “What’s Duke Yong worth? Our Yuan clan is kin of the imperial family—”

Gu Hua cut him off: “Our Duke does not rely on noble birth. He risked his head leading the Mu Army’s hundreds of thousands of soldiers, trading their lives for honor. Why don’t you go before His Majesty and see whose head is harder—your so-called royal kinship or the Duke Yong’s?”

“If it weren’t for those soldiers, eating coarse grains and thin porridge while guarding the borders, how would you enjoy your wealth? Without them, would you still wear silk and brocade, feast on delicacies, and keep women on both sides?”

Soon, the attendants returned with two large barrels of hangover soup.

“Bring them out. Two pots each—whether they choke on it or not, they must finish. If anyone dares to spout nonsense again, give him an extra pot until his head clears completely.”

After speaking, Gu Hua no longer bothered to look at them and turned to leave.

Not a single curse followed her.

The next day.

Gu Hua had just finished breakfast when Dong Hua smiled and said: “They really suffered under your hand last night. One by one, they slunk back into bed and behaved themselves. This morning, they’ve all left.”

Gu Hua swallowed a bite of bun: “Did Chiyu send word to the barracks?”

If they tried to stir up trouble as an excuse, Mu Junyan must be prepared.

“Sent overnight,” Dong Hua replied, then suddenly raised a thumb.

Gu Hua looked at her: “What for?”

Dong Hua leaned closer: “Madam, I truly admire you. You were so formidable last night! Even Chiyu said he never imagined you were this capable.”

Gu Hua lifted her porridge bowl: “They bullied us to our faces. If I didn’t fight back, would I still be worthy of being your master’s wife?”

Dong Hua nodded vigorously: “None of us expected it. Madam, you seem like a different person.”

Gu Hua pulled her down to sit: “Eat with me.”

Dong Hua, no longer reserved, joined her. Along this journey, they had grown closer and closer.

Gu Hua treated her like a sister, without any airs.

“All that I’ve seen along the way has been shocking. You haven’t been to the military camp, so you didn’t see the wounded soldiers. If you had, you’d be fiercer than me. Even with all the food we delivered, it’s still a drop in the bucket. They live on black coarse grain and thin porridge, no vegetables, at most some pickles. Yet once the fighting starts, they’re ferocious as tigers.”

Dong Hua stared blankly at her.

Gu Hua turned to her: “I have to become strong. I don’t want to be a burden on you all.”

Dong Hua snapped out of it and nodded hard: “Madam, you are no burden at all. You’re wise and kind—so very good.”

Her eyes turned red as she spoke.

Gu Hua rubbed her forehead gently: “Don’t just praise me. Hurry and eat, let’s go visit the porridge sheds.”

In Juzhou, four porridge sheds had been set up, one inside each city gate.

She also heard of a Children’s Camp, taking in the orphans of fallen soldiers and those who lost both parents in the war.

There was even a Retirement Camp for parents of fallen soldiers who had no other children, and aged soldiers themselves.

When Mu Junyan had told her about it, she was deeply shaken. She never imagined he had arranged everything in such detail.

No wonder the Mu Army fought with such ferocity, no matter how hard things were.

When Chiyu heard she intended to personally visit the porridge sheds, as well as the Children’s and Retirement Camps, he immediately objected.

“The Children’s Camp and Retirement Camp are safe—they’re our own people. But the porridge sheds… the crowds there are mixed, all sorts of people.”

After a moment’s hesitation, he lowered his voice: “Tomorrow, Luodian’s border army will attack Shicheng County.”

Gu Hua was startled: “So soon?”

“The Emperor suddenly sent men—and sent that one in particular. The lord fears there may be changes. If we don’t seize Shicheng County in one stroke, crippling their strength, there may be trouble both at the front and behind.”

Chiyu’s anger flared at the mention of Yuan Zhongyong.

The Yuan family, relying on their marriage ties to the Empress Dowager, styled themselves as imperial kin and acted as Jiang clan’s lapdogs, domineering beyond measure.

Gu Hua sprang to her feet in shock: “Trouble from behind?”

Chiyu knew she was pure-hearted and understood nothing of court intrigues.

He ought not to tell her military secrets, but he feared she might insist on helping, which would instead endanger the lord.

Before, the lord had fought recklessly, with no attachments.

Now, with Gu Hua’s safety weighing on his heart, if anything happened to her, the lord would surely be distracted.

But Chiyu could not say such words to her—it would only wound her.

Seeing his troubled face, Gu Hua understood that military matters could not be spoken openly, so she did not press further.

After a pause, she guessed his meaning: “You think me returning to Bianjing would be best for him, don’t you?”

Chiyu met her clear eyes. Reluctantly, he nodded honestly: “Yes. But this isn’t the lord’s command—it’s what I believe.”

Gu Hua nodded slowly.

She did not blame him.

Perhaps Mu Junyan thought the same.

After the encounter with Yuan Zhongyong, she had begun reflecting as well.

She did not see herself as Mu Junyan’s weakness.

But his enemies would surely think of using her against him.

Even if she did nothing, merely by staying in Juzhou, she was a danger to him.

Gu Hua clenched her teeth: “Very well. Send me to Jiangling. I’ll have the Pei clan arrange for an escort back to the capital. Send word to the army at Luodian’s border immediately. You take a few guards and escort me back, so he can fight with peace of mind.”

Chiyu let out a long breath of relief.

The lord had also instructed him to persuade Madam to return to Bianjing if possible.

Anyone could see how much the lord cherished her. But precisely because of this deep affection, it could become a fatal distraction on the battlefield.

And in battle, even a moment’s distraction could mean death.

Chiyu said excitedly: “I’ll send word to the lord at once. I will personally escort you back to the capital.”

Gu Hua nodded: “Good.”

She did not want to become their burden.