"You truly dare to come." Master Ying looked at Gu Jiusi with a complicated expression. Gu Jiusi smiled faintly, "With such warm hospitality from Master Ying, how could I disappoint? Please open the gates and let me enter to see my wife."
"Very well." Master Ying seemed pleased. "I'm just afraid that when you see her, you won't know whether to call her Lady Shen or your wife anymore."
Gu Jiusi's expression remained unchanged, still smiling, but his eyes turned cold.
The gates of Black Wind Fortress swung open. Gu Jiusi dismounted from his horse and was led inside by the guards.
Everyone watched Gu Jiusi as he fanned himself casually, appearing completely harmless as he walked into the main hall.
In the center of the hall, Master Ying sat in the highest position, with Shen Ming and Liu Yuru seated to his left. Liu Yuru kept her head lowered, not daring to look at Gu Jiusi. Gu Jiusi bowed respectfully to everyone, his speech and demeanor exactly like that of an ordinary scholar.
Everyone suppressed their laughter. Master Ying, eating green beans, pointed his chopsticks at Liu Yuru beside Shen Ming and said, "Lord Gu, there—your wife is right there."
"I see her," Gu Jiusi replied with a smile, addressing Master Ying directly. "May I trouble you to grant me a seat and a cup of wine?"
"Wine?" Master Ying's face darkened. "Do you think you'll live long enough to drink it?!"
"Why wouldn't I?" Gu Jiusi opened his fan and waved it gently. "Lord Liang merely finds me an obstacle to his plans. But if I can hinder, I can also accomplish. I am the county magistrate personally appointed by Lord Fan, promoted directly from a constable to an official. If you harm me, I fear the consequences for all of you will be endless."
"Of course," Gu Jiusi added seriously, "I say this not as a threat. If you were afraid of such things, you wouldn't have kidnapped my family and plotted murder. I merely suggest that instead of mutual destruction, we cooperate. Master Ying, why not ask Lord Liang if he has such intentions?"
Master Ying fell silent, staring at Gu Jiusi, who remained calm and unafraid. Master Ying hesitated inwardly, and after a moment, he finally said, "Give him a table."
Everyone looked at Gu Jiusi, who thanked Master Ying, then turned to Liu Yuru and said calmly, "Yuru, come here."
Hearing this, Liu Yuru quickly stood up, but Shen Ming pressed her down, looking nervously at Master Ying.
Gu Jiusi turned around, his gaze falling on Shen Ming's hand restraining Liu Yuru. Master Ying watched Gu Jiusi with a smile, and Gu Jiusi raised his eyes to meet his gaze. "I thought Black Wind Fortress was a gathering place for heroes. I never imagined it would resort to coercion to keep a woman."
"Don't put it that way," Master Ying said, brushing crumbs from his hands with a laugh. "The lady was just sharing tender moments with young Shen. It's only natural she's reluctant to part now. A woman, after all, needs protection. Whoever has the capability should protect her. If one can't protect her oneself, how can they blame others?"
Liu Yuru trembled with anger at these words but dared not speak, gritting her teeth. Gu Jiusi scanned the surroundings and nodded. "I understand."No sooner had the words been spoken than everyone saw Gu Jiusi suddenly lunge forward. His folding fan spun over the back of his hand like a blade, slashing toward Shen Ming's hand! Shen Ming recoiled in shock, and in that brief moment, Gu Jiusi wrapped an arm around Liu Yu Ru's waist, pulling her into his embrace. Shielding her, he strode without looking back toward the seat prepared for him by Master Ying, raising his voice to declare, "My thanks for yielding."
Shen Ming roared in fury, "You scoundrel!"
Gu Jiusi guided Liu Yu Ru to sit, draped an arm around her, propped a foot on the table, and snapped his fan open with a sharp "swish." Smiling at Shen Ming, he taunted, "If you couldn't protect her yourself, why blame others?"
Shen Ming's face flushed with rage. Staring at the fan in Gu Jiusi's hand, he realized that given Gu Jiusi's speed earlier, even if they were to clash again, he stood no chance of winning.
Gu Jiusi withdrew his gaze from the crowd, picked up a cup from the table, and took a sip to confirm it was water and contained nothing suspicious. He then held it to Liu Yu Ru's lips, asking gently, "Did they starve you?"
Liu Yu Ru, flustered, remained silent until she had drunk the water from his hand. Slightly calmer, she whispered, "No."
Gu Jiusi nodded. She had been abducted in the afternoon, and it was only night now—even if she were hungry, it wouldn't be severe. After briefly inspecting her, he straightened her clothes, removed Shen Ming's outer garment, and helped her into his own coat. He smoothed her hair with his hand and finally placed a hairpin in it, saying softly, "I brought this from home for you."
It was the phoenix-tail pearl-drop hairpin, which he tilted into her hair. In such surroundings, it stood out conspicuously.
The onlookers watched as Gu Jiusi completely ignored them, focusing solely on tending to Liu Yu Ru, leaving them uncertain what tricks he might be playing. After a moment, Master Ying could bear it no longer and sneered, "Lord Gu, a fallen woman hardly warrants such concern. You're still young—perhaps you haven't seen many women?"
At these words, Liu Yu Ru clenched her fists, her eyes reddening as she turned away. But Gu Jiusi squeezed her hand and said calmly, "This is my wife, Master Ying. If you wish to negotiate with me properly, mind your words."
"Lord Liang doesn't want to pay, but Lord Fan is determined to collect the money. If not me, someone else will come today. If Lord Liang truly wishes to avoid payment, he has only two options: either rebel against Fan Xuan, or rely on me to fabricate accounts for him."
The room fell silent. Shen Ming's eyes held mockery as he watched Gu Jiusi, who took a sip of water and stated coolly, "I can shift his financial burden to others, so he neither pays nor faces Fan Xuan's scrutiny. But I have conditions for my services—I must discuss them with him face to face. Today, either you release me to return to Wangdu and seek out Lord Liang, or you bring Lord Liang here. If we fail to reach an agreement, I'll remain in the fortress, and you can deal with me then."
Master Ying said nothing, fiddling with the thumb ring on his hand.
The Liang family was responsible for guarding the city; any unusual movement would be reported to Black Wind Fortress in advance. With no news from the city, there was no need to fear Gu Jiusi had laid a trap with reinforcements.Gu Jiusi's current confidence likely stemmed from his absolute certainty in persuading Lord Liang, and indeed, the matters he addressed were precisely what troubled Lord Liang at the moment. Master Ying pondered left and right, finally summoned his men and dispatched them to the city.
The scene fell silent. With Master Ying saying nothing, no one else dared to speak further, leaving only Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru chatting idly. Gu Jiusi told her about his official duties that day and mentioned several restaurants with excellent food, promising to take her dining once they returned.
Liu Yu Ru responded in hushed tones. Sensing her tension, Gu Jiusi deliberately lightened the mood with playful remarks.
The onlookers watched with indifference. None could comprehend how a banquet originally set as a trap for Gu Jiusi had transformed into his personal stage, where he performed an elaborate display of marital affection.
Many present, like Shen Ming, were unmarried. Some watched with gritted teeth, and even Master Ying grew restless, unable to resist commenting, "Lord Gu, enough is enough. Must you spoil a woman so?"
Gu Jiusi looked up with a mild smile. "I've always spoiled her this way."
Master Ying wanted to retort sharply but held back, recalling Gu Jiusi's earlier words and fearing he might disrupt his master's plans.
Thus, the atmosphere grew peculiarly tense. In this bandit stronghold, Gu Jiusi alone commanded the servants to refill tea, pour wine, and bring more dishes. Eventually, he even glanced at Master Ying and asked, "Master Ying, don't you find it rather stifling here? Why not summon some singers and dancers?"
"Since when does this fortress have singers and dancers?" Shen Ming replied stiffly. "If Lord Gu is so inclined, why not perform yourself?"
"Why put it that way?"
"True enough," Gu Jiusi nodded, then stood up. "Waiting idly is dull. Let's find some amusement."
All eyes fixed on Gu Jiusi, who turned to Shen Ming. "I've heard this young man is quite skilled. Shall we test that?"
Seeing Gu Jiusi's smile, Liu Yu Ru's visible anxiety, and Shen Ming's livid expression, everyone understood: this was Gu Jiusi's wrath ignited by his beloved, seeking trouble with Shen Ming.
Shen Ming smirked coldly and rose. "Fine. Don't regret this."
"Jiusi..." Liu Yu Ru tugged at his sleeve.
Gu Jiusi patted her hand, bent down, and kissed her cheek as if to comfort her. But as he leaned close to her ear, he whispered, "When the lights go out, hide behind the screen."
Liu Yu Ru stiffened but said nothing more. Gu Jiusi straightened and turned to face Shen Ming.
He calculated the timing—Huang Long and Huzi should have completed their preparations by now, awaiting his signal.
Clutching his fan, he bowed respectfully to Shen Ming. "My apologies."
"Prepare to die!"Shen Ming roared and charged at Gu Jiusi with his broadsword. Gu Jiusi showed no fear, meeting him head-on. He bent low to evade Shen Ming's blade, then swiftly aimed his fan at Shen Ming's forehead. Shen Ming retreated rapidly toward Master Ying, with Gu Jiusi pressing him relentlessly. But in that instant, Gu Jiusi abruptly changed direction, hurling a dart from his other hand to extinguish the room's candlelight while simultaneously lunging at Master Ying. In the brief moment of darkness, he pressed his fan against Master Ying's throat and whispered, "Don't move."
Meanwhile, as the room plunged into darkness, Liu Yu Ru immediately dashed toward the screen.
In the pitch black, no one was visible—only angry shouts filled the air. Liu Yu Ru crouched low, following the wall along the path she remembered before the lights went out, until she reached behind the screen, where she froze, not daring to move.
The sound of shattering porcelain echoed, followed by a voice shouting, "Sleeping drug!"
"Get out quickly! Cover your nose and mouth!"
The hall descended into chaos. Within moments, everyone had fled except for Master Ying, Gu Jiusi, and Liu Yu Ru, along with a few others who had collapsed inside, unable to escape in time.
By now, Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru's eyes had adjusted to the dim light. Gu Jiusi said to Liu Yu Ru, "Yu Ru, take the signal flare from inside my robe and set it off by the window."
Without hesitation, Liu Yu Ru hurried to Gu Jiusi's side and reached into his clothing. As her hand slipped inside, Gu Jiusi felt a strange sensation but deliberately ignored it, keeping his blade firmly at Master Ying's neck.
Liu Yu Ru went to the window, released the signal flare, and quickly returned to Gu Jiusi.
Outside, people were already gathering. Liu Yu Ru dragged Yin Hong out from among the unconscious on the floor, placing her nearby for safety. Then, gripping a knife, she huddled close to Gu Jiusi, trembling.
Noticing her shivering, Gu Jiusi said calmly, "There are five thousand troops at the foot of the mountain. Don't be afraid. Brother Zhou will be here soon."
"Five thousand troops?" Master Ying gasped. "Who are you trying to fool? How could I not know if there were five thousand men down there?"
"You didn't even know the Liang family was executed, and you claim to know about five thousand troops?" Gu Jiusi chuckled lightly. "You think too highly of yourself."
At these words, Master Ying stiffened. After a moment, he roared, "Impossible! General Liang is a veteran of Youzhou's army!"
"Lord Fan is the military governor of Youzhou, and Zhou Gaolang is Youzhou's fiercest warrior. What is Liang Hui compared to them?"
"Lord Gu," Master Ying pleaded, feeling the cold blade against his neck, "let's talk this over!"
"Master Ying," Gu Jiusi sighed, "you insulted my wife. Do you really think there's anything left to discuss?"
Master Ying's face turned pale. Gu Jiusi said flatly, "Even if only for her honor, not a single soul from your Black Wind Fortress will leave here alive today."
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