Chapter 168: That Thing You Must Not See

Gazetteer, i. e., the map as modern people call it.

Ancient transportation was inconvenient, many local roads were difficult to travel, and there were no high-tech surveying means like satellites.

Obtaining a map that is both accurate and comprehensive is extremely difficult.

Moreover, since ancient battlefield reconnaissance of enemy conditions relied entirely on human eyesight, maps are of even greater strategic importance.

The map in Huo Jiang's hands is precisely the border map of the region where North Separation and Great Enterprise meet.

Its preciousness needs no elaboration.

Huo Jiang held the map aloft, his eyes blazing with fervor: "Indeed, it is far more detailed than the maps we have drawn before; this valley was never marked before."

"Moreover, this mountain pass allows a direct advance deep into the heart of North Separation..."

There are far too many details in the map worth studying; we need to calm down and examine it slowly.

Huo Jiang calmed his excited emotions, lifted his head, and first looked toward Mu Nan Zhao.

This map is obviously not the original; within Meng Chengping's squad, if anyone could remember something at a glance and quickly draw a map by hand……

Who else besides him could have such ability?

Mu Nan Zhao noticed Huo Jiang's gaze, met his eyes without evasion, displaying an air of nonchalance as if it were none of his business.

Huo Jiang gave him a cold smile, silently conveying his thought: "You can fool others, but not put on an act in front of me!"

Mu Nan Zhao slightly raised his eyebrows, likewise wordlessly indicating: "I understand, I don't care."

In the exchange of glances, Huo Jiang caught sight of Meng Chengping leaving without a greeting, heading off on his own toward the outside of the tent.

He instantly flared with anger: "I haven't finished speaking, and you're already off doing what? Don't think that bringing back the map and achieving great merit lets you do as you please!"

"Now standing before me, you still want to play that 'the general abroad need not obey the sovereign's orders' routine? Meng Chengping, do you want to die?!"

Meng Chengping turned his head, revealing a face as lifeless as a dead man's, and said, "Reporting to the Great General, there is still a spoil of war left outside; I will go fetch it for you."

"Afterward, whether you wish to beat or kill me, or confine me, it makes no difference to me."

Having said that, he drifted away like a wandering soul.

Huo Jiang seethed, "Look at that—just stepping out for a moment and you've turned into this!"

"Truly, it's easy to learn bad habits, hard to learn good ones! Saying 'it doesn't matter' all the time—are you not afraid of being scalded like a dead pig in boiling water?"

Although Huo Jiang never stated it outright, he actually valued Meng Chengping greatly and had been focusing on cultivating and polishing him.

At this moment, seeing Meng Chengping's sorry state, Huo Jiang felt as if a painstakingly nurtured sapling had suddenly grown crooked.

Mu Nan Zhao glanced over with a cold gaze: "Great General, there's no need to point at mulberry trees while cursing locust trees."

"With your Meng General's brain, which part of it looks like something learned from me?"

Since the unpleasant words have been laid out plainly, Huo Jiang is no longer polite.

"This brat is essentially a wild horse; I've been suppressing him day after day, and only with great effort have I steadied his temperament a bit."

"And now you've goaded him into pulling off this big job—won't he become overconfident and reckless? If he grows arrogant and conceited from this, what will you use to compensate me?"

Mu Nan Zhao stared at him expressionlessly and said, "Just tell me whether you want this map or not."

Huo Jiang choked slightly, "Well, let's settle each matter separately."

He rolled up the map, tucked it into his own clothing, apparently fearing that Mu Nan Zhao might regret it and try to take it back.

Mu Nan Zhao sneered, "Surname Huo, you've taken the benefit and then blame me—truly shameless."

Huo Jiang slammed the table, "Who's shameless? If you hadn't acted first and reported later, keeping me in the dark, I could have arranged for someone else to go with you! Otherwise I'd be tainted by your corruption, like a flawless jade spoiled."

Mu Nan Zhao curled his lip and gave a soft snort: "Still talking about flawless jade—he was originally a fine blade, but you've used him so much he's almost become a lump of stone."

Huo Jiang's copper-bell eyes flared fire: "You mean I'm incompetent?"

Gu Xixi watched the two argue, finding it quite amusing.

Although she knew why Meng Chengping was like this, she did not want to explain it so quickly.

Because she was genuinely curious, she wondered whether, once they got heated, they would end up fighting.

At that moment, Meng Chengping returned, holding a round, bulging black cloth bundle in his hands.

Gu Xixi saw that the bundle seemed to have fallen into a puddle, its surface marked with dark and light patches.

Meng Chengping set the bundle down on the table with a thud.

Gu Xixi leaned in to look, curious as to what spoil of war it was.

Huo Jiang, who had still been sparring verbally with Mu Nan Zhao, was angry; he glanced at the bundle and reached out to tear it open.

In an instant, Mu Nan Zhao's expression changed drastically; he seized Gu Xixi's shoulders and forcibly turned her to face him.

Gu Xixi stared, bewildered and angry, "What are you doing?"

Mu Nan Zhao pressed down on her firmly, his eyes deep and solemn: "You'll regret it if you look."

Huo Jiang also realized that Gu Xixi was still present.

Someone who has never seen such a bloody object, upon suddenly seeing it, would likely be frightened out of their wits.

Huo Jiang hastily covered the bundle haphazardly, then summoned a guard: "Take it out, hang it before the formation, so the Beili troops can see it clearly."

"I want to see how long they can endure this time."

The guard carried the bundle outward; Gu Xixi caught out of the corner of her eye a drop of dark red liquid falling to the ground.

Blood?

Her voice fluttering, she asked, "What is this spoil of war?"

Only then did Mu Nan Zhao say, "A human head."

Gu Xixi thought of how she had just wanted to lean in and look at it on the table, and involuntarily retched.

"... Thank you."

Imagining a bloody head, it might even stare with eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace.

Gu Xixi could not guarantee how she would react if she suddenly saw it, so indeed it was best not to look.

Two more guards entered, ventilated the tent, wiped the table and the bloodstains on the floor, and finally took on the scent of mugwort.

Gu Xixi then felt better and let out a breath.

Then listen to the conversation between Huo Jiang and Mu Nan Zhao, as well as Huo Jiang's inquiry of Meng Chengping.

After Meng Chengping's squad completed the mission of spreading the sheep epilepsy grass, they changed course to go deeper and successfully found the North Separation border map inside the rear military tent.

And the owner of that head was a North Separation deputy general.

Although his influence in the army was not great, he was of North Separation's direct imperial lineage.

This was his first time entering the army, both for training and for gilding his resume.

Never did he expect to accidentally run into the retreating Meng Chengping squad, ending up with his head and body separated.

After Meng Chengping's squad left, the border map remained untouched, and the North Separation people did not notice.

That is why they frenziedly pursued Meng Chengping's squad, even chasing madly into Great Undertaking territory.

Simply because they discovered the headless corpse of the imperial deputy general.

First, someone secretly infiltrated the camp at night and killed their important nobles, a grave disgrace. Several commanders were furious, vowing to make the enemy pay with blood that very night.

Second, the North Separation people worship the heavenly god; if a corpse is not intact after death, the god will abandon it, leaving no afterlife.

That deputy general came from a noble background; if they did not retrieve his head, they could not explain their return.

Gu Xixi suddenly understood, "So we were being chased by the North Separation army last night because we were dragged into your affair?"