Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times-Chapter 660 - 504: Treacherous Journey on the Sichuan Road
Chapter 660: Chapter 504: Treacherous Journey on the Sichuan Road
These eight hundred elite troops, whom she had nurtured with all her heart and resources, must not perish upon this treacherous river!
"What else can be done? If we want to get into Bashu, this is the only way. I even wonder how my older martial brother managed to lead a million-strong army across here?" Borjigin Nian cast a puzzled look at her own elder martial brother. "This suspension bridge is narrow, allowing only one person to pass. Could it suddenly break? If the bridge snaps, wouldn’t the people on it fall into the deep abyss like dumplings into a pot, with no place for their bodies to lay?"
At that thought, Borjigin Nian couldn’t help but shudder.
It’s truly terrifying!
Zhou Mu, upon hearing this, glanced at Gu Changsheng and spoke gravely, "The reason I was able to lead the army across the bridge and pass through the territory of Bashu without any hindrance was that I had already reached an agreement with the Lord of Jinchuan City!"
On hearing this, Gu Changsheng’s brow rose, and she immediately asked, "What was the content of the agreement?"
"Not to harm a single citizen or soldier of Bashu, and Great Zhou would not engage in war with Bashu for a hundred years!" Zhou Mu looked at her and continued solemnly, "At that time, with a million troops at the border, the Lord of Jinchuan City had no choice but to compromise. Now, it has only been ten years, and we are leading an army here again. I fear she will not so easily compromise again!"
The faces of everyone present dimmed at these words.
"What can be done then? The Young Master has been kidnapped for over two months, with no news whatsoever. Anything could happen, how can we be stopped outside of Bashu without being able to move forward?" Xiao Cui, anxious, spoke up from the side.
Every minute’s delay meant more danger for the Young Master, and not seeing him for a day meant their hearts could not rest for a day!
"Even if it means fighting, I will carve a path to the Southern Border through Bashu!" Gu Changsheng, hearing the mention of her little bundle, saw a cold light flicker in her eyes, and with a slap on the table, she spoke resolutely.
Her child had been missing for over two months, with no word, and her heart, too, was never put to rest night after night!
"Changsheng, do not act rashly. To cross Bashu, we still need to plan carefully and not act recklessly!" Zhou Mu saw her like this, knowing she was worried about Xiao Gu Ze, and immediately drew her into his embrace, his voice soothing as he comforted her.
All along the way, she had bled several times, and even now her lips were a bit dull and lusterless.
A pang of pain crossed Zhou Mu’s eyes.
"Evildoer, as you said, if we reach an agreement with the Lord of Jinchuan City, we can pass through Bashu unobstructed. It seems I have to make a trip to Jinchuan City!" The warm embrace immediately calmed Gu Changsheng’s restless heart. She buried her head in his chest and spoke hesitantly, "Everyone has a weakness; as long as the Lord of Jinchuan City desires what I have, I can give her all she wants, otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to flatten Bashu as well!"
The strategic passage was difficult to traverse, but she was determined to do it!
"The Lord of Bashu is also the Lord of Jinchuan City; for generations, they have been witches, and even her own people do not know her name. They only know that the power of Bashu has been passed down through her lineage, never leaving her hands. Ten years ago, when I passed through Bashu, I only met her attendants. It is said that the disposition of the Lord of Bashu through the ages has been unpredictable..." Zhou Mu comforted the person in his arms, speaking in a deep voice.
"Being in a high position, who would be pleasant to deal with? But in this world, there is always something she desires. It seems I must indeed make a trip to Jinchuan City!" Gu Changsheng steadied her heart and lifted her head from his embrace, speaking slowly.
"Lady, you mustn’t. To enter the land of Bashu is to encounter great danger; you cannot risk yourself!" Han Qiu stepped forward, his voice cold as he spoke.
"Exactly, Lady. The army is not crossing the bridge and entering the city; you cannot go alone. If something happens to you, how could I explain it to the master?" Xiao Cui also shook her head repeatedly.
She had promised the master to protect the Lady and ensure her safe return!
"She will not go alone; I will accompany her!" Zhou Mu, holding Gu Changsheng’s hand, slightly curved the corners of his mouth, his voice containing a hint of a smile.
Gu Changsheng replied with a faint smile upon hearing this.
"That’s even less acceptable, sir. This isn’t a game! In the past, with a million troops on the border of Bashu as backup, you were able to be safe and sound. Now we are but eight hundred people; our number won’t scare anyone in Bashu. Why would they fear us?"
Now, not just the close attendants of Gu Changsheng, but even Yuan Bao was displeased.
"No, sir, and Lady, neither of you can take the risk. If someone must go, Yuan Bao will!" Yuan Bao spoke with conviction, while patting his own chest as he spoke.
"You?" Gu Changsheng, hearing this, immediately looked back, giving him a scornful glance, "Except for having more flesh on you and a knack for eating, I have yet to find any other use for you! Be good and stay here as Xiao Er Que, I and the evildoer will go through the Sichuan Road to Jinchuan City!"
"Lady!" Yuan Bao, on hearing this, immediately looked aggrieved, "What’s wrong with me having more flesh? It shows I come from a wealthy family. I’m big, surely I can intimidate those smaller than me, can’t I?"
On this journey, Yuan Bao was the only one who could make Gu Changsheng’s tightly wound nerves relax even a little.
"Enough! Haven’t you always insisted that what you have is a ’little hottie waist’? Listen to me and stay here!" Gu Changsheng, hearing this, slightly curved the corners of her mouth and turned to Si Xi beside her, "Si Xi, convey my command for the four sisters of Jin, Yu, Liang, and Yuan to come see me!"
"Yes!" Si Xi replied, bowed, and withdrew.
Seeing this, everyone knew it was futile to persuade her further and held their peace.
Gu Changsheng summoned the four sisters of Jin, Yu, Liang, and Yuan and gave them instructions, after which the four sisters, along with Han Qiu and Xiao Cui, and even bringing Xiao Han Mo, promptly exited.
Now, their group of more than eight hundred people was stationed in a large mountain area within Sichuan, just half a day’s journey from the heart of Sichuan—but crossing the great Sichuan River was no easy feat.
"Lady Changsheng, what are you sending those few women and a small child off to do?" Yuan Bao, trailing after Gu Changsheng who was busy directing the establishment of the camp, asked eagerly.
His lord had instructed him to talk more with Lady Changsheng whenever he had the chance!
Yuan Bao felt that, at last, he was of some use. At the very least, he could bring a smile to Lady Changsheng’s face by making her laugh, right?
"Military secrets of great importance, not to be disclosed!" Gu Changsheng responded in a deep voice without turning his head.
She was well aware of that evildoer’s little schemes!
Throughout their journey, the evildoer had barely left her side, and even when she did manage to slip away, Yuan Bao, plump and well-rounded as a pearl, would immediately take over, chattering non-stop by her ear.
He was simply worried about her feeling lonely, fearing that she might let her mind wander and become unnecessarily anxious.
Even though Little Monk Bu Jie had repeatedly assured her that the little bun was fine, she just couldn’t fully put her heart at ease.
After all, a mother’s connection to her child is deep. The little bun was still so young, kidnapped and taken to the Southern Border, all alone among complete strangers and strange experiences. He must be very scared!
"What you are saying, Lady Changsheng, as if Yuan Bao is an outsider who would reveal military secrets?" Yuan Bao immediately retorted upon hearing her words, "Yuan Bao is part of the inside! I’m raised by our lord! A true insider!"
An insider?
Gu Changsheng burst into laughter at his words. How could he say such a thing!
"Do you even know what an insider is? Have you grown tired of being a little eunuch, thinking about switching roles?" Gu Changsheng turned and looked at Yuan Bao with a playfully teasing smile, "You want to be an insider, but have you thought about your chrysanthemum?"
A little eunuch wanting to mingle with the family members of insiders would have to sacrifice his chrysanthemum...
Tsk tsk... What a pity the evildoer clearly had no such inclinations!
Yuan Bao’s hopes would probably be dashed!
"Lady, your mind is impure! The kind of insider Yuan Bao is talking about is not that kind, it’s the other kind..." Yuan Bao, upon hearing this, immediately wore an expression of deep grievance as he explained.
"Which kind of insider? Come on, explain it to me..." Gu Changsheng’s mouth curved slightly with a smile as she spoke.
"... Well... This... That..." Already confused by his own talk of being an insider, Yuan Bao wanted to explain but found himself at a loss for the proper explanation.
Engaging in a verbal dispute with Lady Changsheng was a matter of brainpower, which greatly challenged his delicate little heart!
If it were a matter of physical strength, that would be different—Yuan Bao did have some brawn—but when it came to intellectual matters... Yuan Bao had only one thing to say: forgive his inadequacy! Brainpower was simply not in his wheelhouse!
Wasn’t this considered entertaining the folks at home though? Every time he was ridiculed, was it easy for him?
"Yuan Bao, you really do have it tough!" Gu Changsheng glanced at Yuan Bao, who was on the verge of tears, and spoke with a smile.
The evildoer’s good intentions, Yuan Bao’s diligent efforts—she saw it all clearly.
The road to the Southern Border was long and obstructed, and even if she was worried, she couldn’t always keep tightening that string, immersed in anxiety and apprehension.
Otherwise, before they could save the little bun or take revenge on the Southern Border, she would drive herself mad!
Therefore, she needed to learn to let go! She had to adopt the perspective of an observer to face the road ahead.
"Oh, Lady! With those words, even if you were to explode Yuan Bao and eat me, I would die without any regrets! Wuu wuu... so touched! So very touched! Wuu wuu..." See, even Lady Changsheng acknowledged his struggle, right? He truly had a hard time!
Looking at the well-arranged tents and the well-trained patrol soldiers, Gu Changsheng nodded with satisfaction. Turning around, she saw Yuan Bao with tears streaming down his face, "Enough already! You better stop! Explode and eat you? You’re not Monk Tang; consuming your flesh wouldn’t grant me eternal life, so why would I eat you? You wouldn’t even fit between my teeth!"
"But Lady Changsheng, Yuan Bao was raised on meat, much tastier than those pigs and sheep raised on grass, right?" Yuan Bao, upon seeing this, hurriedly stopped crying and eagerly followed behind his lady.
That swift change of expression even caught Gu Changsheng off guard.
"It’s not exactly comparable, but if you ask me, all this fat you’re carrying might not even surpass pigs and sheep!"
"Uh, alright then, I’ll just keep this flesh to serve you with! Lady, tomorrow you’ll be setting off to Jinchuan City with the lord, yet you don’t seem worried at all. Truly the demeanor of a great general—facing the city under siege, you remain totally undisturbed. Yuan Bao is impressed..."
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