Chapter 203: Ice Lotus's Mystery (3)

After the meal, when the group returned to the forest to line up, they found various weapons piled up in categories on the ground. A rough look showed bows, crossbows, spears, swords, blades, lances, shields, axes, halberds, maces, picks, forks, silk rope snares, etc. It could be said that all eighteen kinds of weapons were complete. In front of each weapon stood a person, but they were all different in height, weight, and shape. There was even a thin old man who looked over fifty.

Gu Yun was also stunned when she first saw them. She let Yu Shijun find the people who played each weapon best in the army, but she didn't expect it to be so peculiar. Sure enough, everyone had their own strengths.

Coughing lightly, Gu Yun shouted: "Yu Shijun, let them draw lots and group."

"Yes."

According to the results of the drawing, ten people were divided into thirteen groups, and there was one group with only eight people. After they stood according to the grouping, Gu Yun said: "You come from different arms in the Su family army. You might be able to play the weapons you are familiar with, but that is far from enough. I require you to be able to use any weapon, and use it well!"

"When performing tasks, it is very likely that there are no weapons in hand. How to seize weapons from the enemy's hands, and how to use them for my own use after seizing them, this is the main training direction for you in the next five days. I give you five days to explore and practice. Five days later, there will be an assessment. The group with the lowest total score will have ten points deducted per person. In addition, among the ten people, as long as one person fails the assessment, the group will also have ten points deducted."

The group with the lowest total score having points deducted, they had nothing to say, but why if one person failed, the same group would also have ten points deducted?

Gu Yun saw resistance and dissatisfaction from one dark face after another, but in view of the discipline she just said, no one dared to ask out loud, only gloomily choosing weapons, their eyes sweeping back and forth among the members of their own group. The people in the same group as Liu Xing were obviously more angry, because they all saw that he passed by "cheating" and had no ability at all, so being in the same group as him was destined to suffer. Gu Yun did this to improve their team collaboration ability, but unfortunately, these people didn't have this concept yet. Gu Yun didn't say much, ordered coldly: "Group practice."

"Yes."

According to the grouping, each group first learned a weapon, changing every half hour, taking turns. The reason Gu Yun let them learn like this was to test their ability to accept new things instantly. And in a group, there must be one or two people who are more familiar with a certain weapon, and they will use it more smoothly and learn faster. If they know how to assist each other and teach each other, there is still a chance to win.

Unfortunately, not everyone could understand Gu Yun's intention. After an hour of such rotation—

"Stop!" Gu Yun roared low, and the soldiers stopped the weapons they were playing with. Gu Yun walked to a burly soldier and asked coldly: "What are you doing?"

"Practicing the mace." The soldier answered as a matter of course. Gu Yun gritted her teeth hard and roared angrily: "What I mean by knowing how to use is to understand the characteristics and strengths of this weapon, and how to use it to exert its maximum lethality! Treating every weapon as a blade to wave, this is not called knowing how to use, understand!" Was it that there were policies above and countermeasures below! She told them to learn to use weapons, but they were good, as long as it was short, they treated it as a blade, and if it was long, they treated it as a spear! If it was so simple, why did she bother to find someone to teach them!

Being seen through, they couldn't be lazy and cheat anymore. The soldiers groaned in their hearts, but shouted in unison: "Yes!"

"Again!" Gu Yun roared, "Whoever slacks off again, go to the side and do one thousand frog jumps!" One thousand frog jumps? That was simply worse than death!

For a time, the large forest became lively again. The sound of weapons clashing rang out. Although the moves were unfamiliar and embarrassed, no one dared to play tricks. Gu Yun took a deep breath to relieve the discomfort in her chest. Sure enough, roaring was also very exhausting.

In the distance, a servant ran toward this side and said in a low voice beside Gu Yun: "Miss Qing, Madam Lou is here."

Qing? What was she doing here? Thinking for a while, Gu Yun said: "Let her wait." The servant nodded and was about to go back when Yu Shijun, who followed, said: "Boss, you go, I'll watch."

Gu Yun looked at him with flashing eyes. Before she could speak, Yu Shijun patted his chest and guaranteed: "Don't worry, I definitely won't be softhearted." While saying, his hand deliberately squeezed into a fist. Gu Yun laughed, turned back to look at the soldiers who were already much more honest, and nodded: "Fine. Don't let me down."

Yu Shijun replied immediately: "Absolutely not!"

Gu Yun threw a "watch your performance" look, turned around and left the forest with the servant. Behind her, she could still hear Yu Shijun's stern low roar from time to time. The corners of her lips lifted gently and involuntarily. Soldiers were indeed very cute.

Gu Yun rushed back to Yitian Courtyard and saw Zhuo Qing sitting leisurely on the stone stool. On the table was a cup of steaming clear tea, and beside it was a plate of pastries. She rested her chin on one hand, looked up at the horizontal wooden bar hanging on the tree for practicing pull-ups, and held pastries in the other hand, sending them into her mouth slowly. Seeing her comfortable look that made people jealous, Gu Yun couldn't help but tease: "What wind blew you here?"

Zhuo Qing looked at the courtyard gate. Gu Yun leaned against the door, crossed her hands over her chest, a smile on her face. The black tight-fitting clothes made her look even more slender. If it weren't for her cute face, Zhuo Qing really wanted to shout "so cool"! Yun had been lying down since she was injured last time, and she hadn't paid attention. Looking closely, Qing Mo's body seemed to have grown taller. Actually, this was normal. Qing Ling and Qingfeng were both tall figures, no reason for Qing Mo to be a dwarf alone.

Throwing the pastry in her hand into her mouth, Zhuo Qing smiled: "Recovered quite well, I was so worried about you." Yun was truly a cockroach that couldn't be beaten to death. After more than half a month, she was alive and kicking again.

What kind of talk was this? Gu Yun walked over and said unhappily: "Do you hope to see me dying?" Gu Yun's forehead was covered with fine sweat. It was autumn, and she would still sweat, she must be tossing herself again. Zhuo Qing snorted: "Although your foundation is good, don't push yourself too hard."

Gu Yun smiled and didn't pick up her topic, asking: "What's the matter with you, say it."

"Can't I find you if there's nothing?" This woman would change the topic. Grabbing a pastry, she didn't care about her image at all and threw it into her mouth. Gu Yun replied vaguely, "I have never been narcissistic." Coming to find her during the honeymoon, it wouldn't be for idle chat, right?

Rolling her eyes at her, Zhuo Qing said seriously: "Qingfeng gave birth to a son at noon today, you should know."

"Mm." Nodded casually. 【

"It was a premature birth."

"Are there hidden circumstances?" If Zhuo Qing specifically emphasized it, nine times out of ten there must be hidden circumstances behind this premature birth.

Sure enough, Zhuo Qing nodded and replied, "She fell down the stairs, which is why she went into premature labor."

Gu Yun's cold brows lifted slightly. "Have you found out who did it?"

Zhuo Qing sighed softly, "It's not that easy. She gave birth to a son; the dangers in the future will likely only increase. I've heard that Yan Hongtian's offspring have been very sparse to this day, and most of them died in infancy." She didn't understand much about the affairs in the inner palace. The last time she entered the palace, she nearly lost her life. It is truly not easy for Qingfeng to survive in there.

"What can we do to help her?" Even if she had the heart to help Qingfeng investigate what happened in the inner palace, she did not have the qualifications to intervene.

Zhuo Qing shook her head. "We can't, but Lou Xiyan and Su Ling can." She and Gu Yun were able to live their current, relatively self-centered lives only by relying on the protection of Lou Xiyan and Su Ling. To help Qingfeng, they did not have that capability.

Gu Yun was silent, not knowing what she was thinking. Zhuo Qing continued, "Only with the Lou family and the Su family standing behind her can she and that child be protected."

"You, what do you want me to do?"

"Persuade Su Ling to send a grand gift to the newborn prince in the name of the General's Mansion." She was already married to Lou Xiyan, so the ministers naturally knew that she and Lou Xiyan were standing behind Qingfeng. However, the relationship between Gu Yun and Su Ling was currently unclear. Sending this gift wouldn't actually prove anything, but it would make those behind-the-scenes culprits wary. She hoped this could buy some space for Qingfeng and her child to survive.

She understood what Zhuo Qing meant. Although she had never understood court affairs, she understood what it meant for a general of the nation to publicly support a certain prince. Doing this might protect Qingfeng, but it could potentially bring trouble to Su Ling. Looking up at Zhuo Qing, Gu Yun said with difficulty, "I'm not sure I can."

Patting Gu Yun's shoulder lightly, Zhuo Qing smiled easily. "I've already talked to Lou Xiyan. You just need to mention it to Su Ling; if it doesn't work, then so be it, don't force it." She felt pity for Qingfeng in her heart, but she cared more about Gu Yun, and hoped this matter wouldn't become a point of contention between her and Su Ling.

"Mm." Gu Yun nodded slightly.

Seeing that it was already noon, Zhuo Qing stood up and said, "I'm leaving, take care and rest."

"Mm." Gu Yun also moved to see her off, but Zhuo Qing pressed on her shoulder and smiled, "No need, Mo Bai is waiting for me outside, I can go back by myself."

"Alright." Gu Yun did not insist further. Watching that elegant figure disappear from her sight, she felt a strange sensation in her heart. Zhuo Qing had already integrated very well into this era; the identity and perspective from which she considered things were no longer those of the old Zhuo Qing. She was the Prime Minister's Wife, and she was Qingfeng's sister.

And what about her? Was she so keen on training troops and solving cases because only then did she feel like the original Gu Yun? Was that life the only one she was familiar with? She still really wanted to go back, didn't she?

Today's conversation with Zhuo Qing left her thoughts somewhat scattered. Gu Yun walked to the grass and lay down, hands behind her head, staring straight at the dense tree canopy above. Behind her was the soft grass mat, which tickled her back a little, but it was very comfortable. The sunlight was sliced by the leaves into countless rays, falling mottled upon her body. A beam of light shone directly into her eyes, but she didn't block it. Everything before her was a vast whiteness, just like her mind at this moment.

Gu Yun couldn't quite understand herself. She wanted to go back, she always had! But why, at this moment, did she feel some hesitation? There was nothing here for her to be attached to, was there? It seemed that ever since she was struck by an arrow, everything had become different. She had thought only Su Ling had changed; it turned out she had started to change too?

(End of chapter)