Chapter 57: Hello and Goodbye, Grand Marshal Zuo
Jing Mo had only found out this morning about Zuo You’s arrival at Fengtian. He knew this Grand Marshal Zuo as well as White Tiger Nation’s imperial uncle. Eldest Prince Jing thus waited with interest for the man to show up, for he wanted to know why Zuo You had ran over to Fengtian all of a sudden.
It was a long way from the palace gates to its imperial study, so Yu Xiaoxiao soon lost the patience to wait. She picked up a teacup and drank some of its fruit tea–which was sweet, not better. Liking the taste, she smacked her lips and held onto the cup.
A while later, an eunuch outside announced, “To report to Your Majesty, White Tiger Nation’s Zuo You is here.”
Yu Xiaoxiao could only shake her head. His parents sure dug him a pit naming him Left-Right.
Grand Marshal Zuo pushed opened the doors and walked inside.
“Ah!” Xiao Zhuang exclaimed inadvertently at the sight of the man. When Grand Marshal saw the quartet standing on Xianzong’s left hand side, he froze incredulously as well. Yu Xiaoxiao had just drank a sip of tea, but looked up at Xiao Zhuang’s shout. She spat out her drink. Isn’t this the big beardy I threw in the river last night?!
Zuo You wiped traces of tea off his face. It was a bit sweet and somewhat fragrant, so it tasted quite good. Last night he’d been dumped with a head full of wonton soup by this girl, and today she’d spat tea on his face. He never expected to have such a “fate”1 with the princess.
Besides Gu Xinglang and the two guards, everyone else was floored. No one had ever heard of a princess spitting on a visiting dignitary.
“Linglong!” Xianzong hollered at his daughter, then glared at Gu Xinglang. I just knew she shouldn’t have married into a general’s family! Their ethics are too low! My wonderful maiden of a daughter’s only been at the Gu Estate for a few days, but she’s already spitting water at men!
Yu Xiaoxiao ignored her father and looked at Zuo You. “Why is it you?”
“That’s right, ah,” Zuo You replied. “Why is it you?”
Grand Marshal Zuo was 23 years old this year and had practiced martial arts since his childhood. He had defeated countless enemies for the White Tiger Nation and didn’t like pretty or charming girls, preferring the more heroic and generous types. Last night on the bridge, he’d finally met a girl that fit all his requirements and had even gone to inquire into her origins. He never expected her to bring him not a surprise, but despair!
“You don’t recognize that start of yours?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Xinglang. That can’t be right. The two of you even fought each other once, but you thought he was a stranger last night?
Gu Xinglang only looked at Zuo You in shock. He couldn’t be blamed for failing to recognize his enemy when the latter had been an upright, handsome youth on the battlefiend. Was the man with a beard and sideburns really Zuo You?
“You’re Princess Linglong?” Zuo You didn’t care why Yu Xiaoxiao was calling him ‘that start of yours.’ Despite his despair, he still asked her a question.
Yu Xiaoxiao nodded. “Yes, ah.”
Something shattered in Zuo You’s heart as it broke into pieces.
Jing Mo asked, “Zuo You, you’ve become like this?”
Zuo You shot Jing Mo a hateful glare as he grit his teeth. “I made a vow never to shave my beard until I killed Gu Xinglang in this lifetime.”
Gu Xinglang’s mouth twitched. He had once praised the man as a fighter, but never thought he was actually a lunatic.
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “How much do you love Little Gu to make such a vow?”
Zuo You was taken aback. He cleaned his ears before asking, “What’d you say?”
Yu Xiaoxiao explained, “If you love someone deep enough, it’ll turn into hate, ah. You love Little Gu so much that you want to kill him, and it’s even for your lifetime. So are you planning to love and kill with him in the next life after failing this one, you–”
“Princess!” Gu Xinglang cried out. His heart felt stifled. If his wife kept talking, none of his innocence would remain intact.
Zuo You pointed at Gu Xinglang with a shaking finger. What was more miserable that the girl of your dreams thinking that you loved someone else?
“Linglong,” Xianzong asked, “You know Grand Marshal Zuo?”
Yu Xiaoxiao hesitated. Could she say that she tossed him over a bridge last night?
Jing Mo’s expression had turned a little stiff. Hasn’t anyone realized what that Princess Linglong just said? Zuo You and Gu Xinglang, loving and killing with each other? That’s completely impossible, alright?!
Xiao Wei was anxious as well. He had shot Yu Xiaoxiao multiple looks, but the princess didn’t react. In the end, he could only brace himself and declare, “Grand Marshal Zuo, our Royal Son-in-Law was once sentenced to a punishment for colluding with the enemy. This one dares to ask the grand marshal, did it really happen?”
Hm? Yu Xiaoxiao grew alert. That’s right, they said Gu Xinglang was colluding with the White Tiger Nation. If he’s already one of you, why would you want to kill him? Are you jealous because Third Young Master Gu is better looking?
The Zhao Clan was already filled with grief at their plans around His Sixth Highness falling apart. Yet Princess Linglong’s group didn’t seem affected, which only hurt them more. Now that Xiao Wei had brought up the battle, their hearts leapt to their throats.
Zuo You glanced at Gu Xinglang sitting in his sling chair.
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “If you’re a man, you have to tell the truth.”
Zuo You laughed, causing his beard to tremble. He then explained, “I was injured by Gu Xinglang at North Wolf Pass, so I withdrew to the capital early to treat my wounds. How this battle ended, and which army pushed back my White Tiger soldiers, I really have no idea.”
The Zhao Clan’s hearts settled back down in their chests. Jing Mo’s fingers moved briefly. The fact that Zuo You said that instead of pinning the blame on Gu Xinglang while he’s down is already a blessing for them.
Yu Xiaoxiao was very disappointed and asked, “Then why are you here?”
Zuo You held his head up high to look down on Gu Xinglang. “I came to see whether Gu Xinglang was dead yet.”
“We each have our own masters,” Gu Xinglang said coldly. “What’s the point of hating me?”
Zuo You said, “This grand marshal finally found a worthy opponent. If you died, then wouldn’t my days be too boring?”
They really are ready to love and kill each other. Yu Xiaoxiao stepped forward and blocked Gu Xinglang from sight. “You saw him alive last night.”
Zuo You glanced at her. “So?”
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Hello and goodbye, Grand Marshal Zuo.”
Zuo You felt even more wounded. This girl doesn’t want to see me at all. “You won’t even spare an eye for me?” he asked her.
Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “I’ve seen you plenty of times already. Your beard is too long, I can’t tell what your face looks like.”
“Then I’ll shave it off.”
“Are vows made so casually?” Yu Xiaoxiao looked at him seriously. Back then, she’d pledged in the army to fight for the protection of mankind. Even at death, she hadn’t gone back on her words. Are the vows in this world worth nothing more than farts?
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