Chapter 224: Gu Yun's Heart

Although Zhuo Qing didn't explicitly say who "he" referred to, Gu Yun understood. She didn't escape or deny it, just nodded frankly. She rested her hands behind her head, a rare confusion appearing in her eyes, looking at the bright full moon in the sky, her brow furrowed slightly, and she said distressingly, "Qing, I'm a bit conflicted now."

Zhuo Qing smiled knowingly, "You already have a place for him in your heart, but you can't let go of your original life?"

Turning her head to look at Zhuo Qing's stable and calm face, Gu Yun wondered, "What were you thinking when you married Lou Xiyan? Can you really let go?" She admitted that she liked Su Ling, liked the gentleness beneath his dominance, liked the deep affection carried in his hawk-like eyes, but she seemed unable to forget her original life.

"Yun, actually this question is easy to figure out. You've been a special police officer for so many years and could die at any time. Does that mean you won't consider loving someone or accepting someone? The current situation is also very similar. Just because there's a possibility of going back, you can't love Su Ling wholeheartedly? Don't worry too much, love with your heart, and when you really need to make a choice, then consider this question. Actually, making a choice is an easy thing; it just depends on which one you love more."

Which one she loved more? Gu Yun lowered her head slightly. After a long time, she smiled self-deprecatingly, "You really see through these things."

Zhuo Qing shook her head and replied, "It's that you haven't treated it with your heart."

Gu Yun was stunned. Had she not treated Su Ling with her heart? It seemed so. She always subconsciously told herself that she was going back. Even if she admitted she liked him, she didn't dare to put her heart on him. Perhaps Qing was right; love with your heart, and there will be a result.

Having finally sorted out her thoughts, just as Gu Yun was about to tell Zhuo Qing that she understood what she should do, a tall figure rushed in from outside in a hurry. Squinting to look, Gu Yun recognized it was Han Shu.

Han Shu was almost running forward. A servant of the Prime Minister's Mansion was originally supposed to guide him, but now he was chasing after him. His straightforward personality couldn't hide things at all, and his inner anxiety was written all over his face. Gu Yun was secretly shocked. Did something happen to the General's Mansion?

Gu Yun stood up and shouted loudly, "Han Shu."

Han Shu saw her, went up to meet her, and asked straight away, "Where is the General?"

"Still drinking in the main hall. What's the rush?"

Han Shu replied impatiently, "Pirates are rampant in the East Sea. They actually went ashore and occupied five coastal villages. Everywhere they went, they burned, killed, and looted, leaving corpses everywhere, cruel and tyrannical. Su Yu clashed with them and forced them back to the East Sea, but at sea, he was no match for the pirates, and the warships were sunk."

The ships sank? Gu Yun's heart skipped a beat, and she asked urgently, "Where is Su Yu?"

Han Shu's expression became even more grave, and he said in a low voice, "Missing."

Missing?

It was past midnight. The study of the General's Mansion was brightly lit. Su Ling sat at the desk with a cold expression. Su Ren and Han Shu sat on the left and right. Gu Yun was still sitting in the position closest to the door. A man in his thirties named You Yi stood in front of the table with his head bowed.

"How exactly did Yu go missing?" Hawk-like eyes stared coldly at the man, Su Ling's dark voice mixed with the coldness of a mountain rain about to fall.

The man raised his head, not daring to meet Su Ling's cold eyes. His heart was beating like a drum, but his voice was still relatively steady, "When Su Fujiang arrived at the East Sea, he happened to encounter pirates going ashore to rob goods and women. The Deputy General was furious and led ten thousand elite soldiers to suppress the pirates. The pirates retreated repeatedly, returned to the pirate ships, and fled back to the sea. Seeing the mess left behind by the pirates, with corpses everywhere, the Deputy General was furious and led his troops out to sea to pursue them. Who would have thought that they were ambushed by the eight pirate ships lying in wait there just ten miles out at sea. These pirates didn't know where they got cannons. Three warships were no match for the shelling and all sank. When we rushed over, the ships had all sunk to the bottom of the sea. We searched for a long time nearby, but there was no news of Su Fujiang."

The pirates actually had cannons? Gu Yun frowned involuntarily.

Su Ren gripped his hands tightly and asked, "Could Su Yu have been captured by the pirates?" Being captured was better than...

The man hesitated for a while and replied truthfully, "We haven't received any news of the pirates using hostages to threaten us."

If the pirates had captured someone, they would definitely threaten them. Now that there was no news, it could only mean—Su Yu might not be in their hands! Han Shu smashed his thigh hard and said angrily, "General, the pirates are so arrogant. If they are not eliminated, it will not only destroy the military prestige of Qiongyue, but the coastal people will also not have peace. This subordinate requests to go and kill the enemy."

Su Ling remained silent, but the fierce look in his hawk-like eyes grew stronger. He glared at Han Shu. What was he joining in the fun for? He didn't have much experience in naval warfare either, what was he showing off for! Glancing at You Yi, who seemed to have something more to say, Su Ren said, "You Yi, continue."

You Yi looked pointedly at the woman sitting at the end. The General's Mansion had never had women, and her presence here was truly strange. Who exactly was this woman? You Yi was always cautious and relatively wooden. Su Ren said, "She is..."

Before he could finish, Gu Yun said loudly, "My name is Qing Mo."

Who was Qing Mo? You Yi was still completely confused. Han Shu replied straightforwardly, "She is the General's wife. Just tell us quickly." The General had even handed over the most elite soldiers to her to manage; what else could she not hear?

General's wife? The General was married? You Yi turned his head in surprise again. That woman was very thin, wearing a simple goose-yellow dress, and her hair accessories were also very simple. Her hand was tapping the armrest of the wooden chair from time to time. She was quite pretty, but unfortunately, there was a scar on her face that was neither shallow nor deep.

You Yi looked at Su Ling again. The General seemed to be thinking about something and didn't object to the words of the vanguard Han. Alright, since she was the General's wife, he had nothing to hide. "This subordinate thinks that the frequent attacks of the pirates on the coast this time really don't look like the work of ordinary pirates. They are numerous, and they don't look like the lazy and slack discipline of ordinary pirates. The equipment and weapons on the ships are very sophisticated, and they even have cannons. Moreover, their purpose of going ashore to loot villages doesn't seem to be just for food and women, but more like—provocation."

Gu Yun's hand paused. Organized, disciplined, armed, and purposeful, these pirates seemed to be more troublesome than mountain bandits.

"Tomorrow I will report to the Emperor and increase troops to suppress them." Su Ling, who had been silent, finally spoke. Judging by his tone, was he going personally?

Gu Yun asked, "Are you going to lead the troops personally?"

Su Ling gave a "Mm."

"When are you leaving?" The Su Family Army's naval forces were always weak. Even if they were going, they had to be fully prepared. The enemy was clearly coming with bad intentions. Gu Yun's brow furrowed, and Su Ren's face was also full of obscurity. Big Brother would go personally was within his expectations. Yu went to the East Sea because of Big Brother and Qing Mo. For so many years, although Big Brother was serious, he had been very attentive to him and Yu. Now that Yu had an accident, one could imagine Big Brother's mood.

Su Ling didn't answer Gu Yun, but said coldly, "You stay in the General's Mansion."

"Why?" Gu Yun didn't understand. He didn't stop her from suppressing the bandits, and he didn't stop her from solving cases and saving people. Why didn't he let her go this time?

"I said stay, so you stay."

The cold, hard voice left no room for negotiation. Su Ling's arrogance at this moment was exactly the same as when they first met. Extremely hateful! Gu Yun took a deep breath, suppressed the heart fire that was burning brighter and brighter in her chest, and said coldly to Su Ren and the others, "You three go out first."

Smiling knowingly, Su Ren and Han Shu walked toward the door. According to past experience, these two would definitely have another big argument, and maybe even start a fight. You Yi was still standing there straight. When Han Shu passed by him, he patted his shoulder lightly and said, "Let's go." You Yi frowned, standing there without moving. Han Shu and Su Ren looked at each other, and tacitly, one on each side, carried him out of the study.

Being forcibly pulled to the front courtyard, You Yi broke free from their hands and asked somewhat angrily, "Commander, what is this for?" The General hadn't spoken, so how could they listen to a woman's order and retreat? Even if she was the General's wife, they didn't need to listen to her orders.

Han Shu put his arm around You Yi's shoulder and smiled, "Have you ever heard a saying, one thing subdues another?"

"Her?" You Yi completely didn't believe it. A thin and weak woman?

You Yi was full of disbelief. The two didn't say anything more. When he had the opportunity to compete with Qing Mo, he would naturally understand. They had painful experiences.

In the study, the two didn't speak. Gu Yun's cat-like eyes stared at Su Ling. Su Ling didn't look at her, lowering his head to write the memorial for the battle. Even if he didn't look, he couldn't ignore the influence of those sharp eyes on him. Gu Yun suddenly stood up. Su Ling's hand holding the pen paused, thinking she was going to explode. Who knew Gu Yun just walked to the desk and asked in a calm voice, "You don't let me go, there must be a reason."

Looking up, he saw Gu Yun helping him grind ink. Her expression was still calm, but her eyes were as sharp as knives. Su Ling sighed secretly. Facing such eyes, lying didn't seem to make much sense. She wanted to know why, so he would tell her.

Putting down the pen in his hand, Su Ling said in a deep voice, "Qiongyue only relies on the sea in the east. The Su Family Army basically has no experience in naval warfare. If the pirates really collude with Liaoyue, their purpose is definitely not just the few small villages on the coast. The pirates' firepower is very fierce, they are familiar with maritime warfare, and they are violent and bloodthirsty. I don't let you go because it's really dangerous. I started going to the battlefield at sixteen and haven't been defeated in more than ten years. No battle has made me so uneasy. I don't have confidence in this battle."

Just because of this? Gu Yun's brow furrowed slightly, "There is no such thing as complete confidence in anything in this world. Only those who are still tenacious in adversity can be called heroes. You don't look like someone who would be afraid of danger!"

"I am afraid."

Gu Yun was stunned, staring at him as if she had seen a ghost. He would say the word "afraid"?

Seeing her incredibly surprised look, Su Ling sighed helplessly, "I'm afraid I don't have the ability to protect you. The things I allow you to do on weekdays, I can control. Even if you make some mistakes or encounter danger, I can clean up the mess for you. This time is different. Pirates are different from other countries' armies. There is no principle of not killing envoys or not killing the old, weak, women, and children. I admit I am really afraid. I can't bear the blow of you being seriously injured again."

Gu Yun didn't think this was a problem. She breathed a long sigh of relief and smiled, "I can protect myself. I never thought about needing anyone to protect me."

"In any case, I won't let you go this time, no matter what you say. You stay in the army and train troops. Your 'Cangying' prototype has appeared. If you continue to train, you will soon become the team in your heart. I have already asked the craftsman to make the short crossbows. If you are missing anything, just tell Ren." Su Ling was determined not to let her go, lowered his head to continue writing the memorial, and didn't look at her, "It's not early, go back and rest."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 225 =====