Ji Xinglou stole a glance at Gu Jianli’s expression. When Gu Jianli wasn’t looking, he quickly retracted his gaze, stiffened his neck, and pretended nothing had happened, looking straight ahead.
Gu Jianli smiled at him, understanding his awkward nature, and didn’t point it out. She lifted the bracelet and held it up to the sunlight, saying, “It’s really beautiful. I wonder how the original owner had such good taste!”
Ji Xinglou widened his eyes, staring at Gu Jianli in shock. He couldn’t understand how she could… how she could say that!
Gu Jianli smiled and put the bracelet on her wrist.
Ji Wujing suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of Ji Xinglou’s collar, lifting him and placing him to the side. Impatiently, he said, “Stop sitting on others when you’re all dirty.”
Ji Wujing brushed off Gu Jianli’s lap, removing the snow and dirt Ji Xinglou had left behind.
Fleeing deep into the snowy mountains, naturally, everyone was filthy.
Ji Xinglou’s face turned red, and he lowered his head, staying silent. When no one was looking, he secretly touched his own butt. He furtively brought his hand up to his eyes to see if it was really that dirty. It was indeed filthy…
He snuck a glance at the dirtied clothes of Gu Jianli and drooped his little head in shame.
Gu Jianli didn’t question Ji Xinglou for now; she had more pressing matters to address.
“When are we setting off? Are we continuing west? We’ve rested for a night, and yet the Imperial Guards haven’t caught up…”
“Madam, the Imperial Guards received orders to retreat and returned to the capital late last night,” Changfeng said from the side.
Gu Jianli immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Her anxious heart finally found some peace. As the tension eased, pain spread through her body, making her realize that she was hurting everywhere. Gu Jianli felt her body was at its limit. Even after a night’s sleep, she hadn’t recovered; she was truly exhausted.
She looked pitifully at Ji Wujing and asked, “When are we leaving here? Are we going back?”
Ji Wujing glanced at her, his eyes lingering for a moment on the small plea hidden in her gaze. He immediately understood what she was implying.
He casually said, “Whatever. We can go back, or stay here for three to five years before leaving.”
He was talking nonsense again… Gu Jianli said helplessly, “Staying in the snowy mountains for three to five years? We’d either freeze to death or starve.”
Ji Wujing thought for a moment and then smiled mischievously.
Gu Jianli looked at his expression, confused, guessing what Ji Wujing was up to.
“Isn’t there a village?” Ji Wujing nonchalantly added wood to the fire.
A village?
Thinking of that village made Gu Jianli uncomfortable. The village hadn’t left her with any good memories…
Yuanshun, beside them, was also startled. They had barely escaped from that village, and now they were going back? How could that be! Wait… Yuanshun suddenly remembered that the seven or eight villains chasing them were already dead…
Ji Wujing swaggered back to the village with his group in tow.
Last night, several of the village’s more notorious men had gone out to chase after them and never returned. The villagers were puzzled, wondering why they hadn’t come back, thinking they might have encountered prey along the way. Now, seeing Ji Wujing and his group swaggering back, the villagers were not only surprised but also had a bad premonition.
One by one, the villagers stopped their work, came out of their yards, or crawled out of their snow houses, crossing their arms and standing by the roadside, warily watching Ji Wujing’s group.
Ermao saw Gu Jianli from afar, blinked, and then ran home to tell his parents about the return of Gu Jianli’s group.
“Really, the strangers who came to our house last night are back! I’m not lying! The person who was unconscious yesterday is now walking at the front!”
Chen Wang and his wife exchanged glances.
Chen Wang said, “Qin Long and the others haven’t returned yet…”
The couple felt uneasy, quickly put down their New Year’s preparations, and ran out to see.
The small village had few people to begin with, and upon hearing the news, almost half of the villagers came out of their homes. They were all refugees hiding here, and they had a strong sense of resistance toward outsiders. Especially since Qin Long and his group had left and not returned, the remaining villagers felt a sense of crisis.
Yuanshun uneasily approached Gu Jianli and whispered, “Madam, are we really going to stay in this small village for a few days? I feel like there’s no good person here…”
Gu Jianli gently squeezed Yuanshun’s hand, reassuring him, “Don’t worry.”
As soon as Gu Jianli finished speaking, an old man with white hair and beard walked over from the back, and the people in front made way for him.
The old man looked Ji Wujing up and down twice and then said, “Our village is small and can’t accommodate outsiders. You’d better leave directly!”
He was directly telling them to go.
Ji Wujing glanced at him and sneered, “Shut up, old man.”
“You!” The old man pointed at Ji Wujing, his beard bristling with anger.
Ji Wujing lazily said, “Are you the one who calls the shots in this village? Vacate the most spacious and comfortable house in the village. Then arrange for a few people to cook. Meat is optional, but fish is a must.”
“What an arrogant tone! Our place doesn’t allow an outsider to act recklessly!” Liu Erzhu, the blacksmith, wielded a large knife and charged at Ji Wujing.
Ji Wujing curled up one side of his lips in a casual smile. With a wave of his hand, a strong force struck Liu Erzhu. His burly figure was sent flying backward until he crashed into a snow house. The snow house shook, and the snow on top scattered down, covering Liu Erzhu.
Several nearby people ran over, trying to clear the mixed ice and snow, but they saw bright red blood seeping from beneath the snow, spreading quickly. The people who had come to help froze, none daring to step forward.
Suddenly, the village fell silent, the only sound being the howling wind.
After a moment, the old man swallowed hard and said, “Why did you have to be so heavy-handed and take a life?”
“I haven’t enjoyed killing for five years,” Ji Wujing said casually.
As he spoke, he lazily walked forward, his gaze sweeping over the snow houses in the village. Impatiently, he said, “Forget it, I’ll pick one myself.”
“My father is so powerful!” Ji Xinglou said with a beaming face. “I want to be just like him! Kill, kill, kill!”
Gu Jianli was stunned, momentarily at a loss. She turned her face, her gaze landing on Ji Xinglou’s excited face, and felt a pang of worry. She didn’t want Ji Xinglou to grow up to be another Ji Wujing.
Because… that would be too painful.
Gu Jianli took Ji Xinglou from Changfeng’s arms and carried him forward.
“Why are you carrying me?” Ji Xinglou frowned at her.
“Because mother loves Xinglou and wants to always care for Xinglou and spoil Xinglou.”
Ji Xinglou was taken aback, then suddenly hugged Gu Jianli’s neck, burying his face in her shoulder—if he didn’t hide his face, everyone would see him blushing!
Ji Wujing easily took over the village, like a bandit.
As he wished, he moved into the most spacious and comfortable snow house. The villagers went back to their homes to fetch the meat and fish they had prepared for the New Year, nervously lighting fires and cooking, then bringing the food to Ji Wujing.
Because, by now, word of Ji Wujing’s identity had spread among the villagers. Some villagers knew the name Ji Zhao, and even those who didn’t, including some children and outsiders, learned from others’ explanations about the terrifying figure now in their village.
That evening, Gu Jianli and her group sat around a brazier, eating the large fish and meat the villagers had brought.
Gu Jianli took a sip of hot soup, feeling a wave of warmth spread through her body. Just as she was about to take a second sip, she said worriedly, “We were forced to separate and flee. I wonder how everyone else is doing…”
Yuanshun tried to reassure her, “Changlin and Changsheng are skilled fighters. The Imperial Guards retreated last night, so everyone should be safe.”
After a pause, as if trying to convince both herself and others, Yuanshun added, “They’ll be fine.”
“I’ll go search for them at dawn,” Changfeng said.
Ji Wujing took a bite of fish, immediately frowning and tossing it aside in disdain—it wasn’t good.
He said, “Tomorrow, let the villagers search. If they don’t find anyone, they won’t be coming back.”
Gu Jianli’s eyes lit up at Ji Wujing’s suggestion, thinking it was a good idea. She felt a bit more at ease and looked at Changfeng, sincerely thanking him, “We’ve been fortunate to have you with us, Changfeng. You’ve worked hard.”
Changfeng had just taken a sip of hot wine. He furrowed his brows for a brief moment before relaxing and said, “Then may I ask for a reward from Madam?”
“Go ahead,” Gu Jianli replied.
Even Ji Wujing raised his eyebrows, looking at Changfeng in surprise.
Changfeng pointed to Yuanshun and said earnestly, “I want her.”
Yuanshun was sipping hot soup and choked upon hearing this, coughing violently. She glared at Changfeng, exclaiming, “What are you, executioner, planning?”
“I fancy you.” Changfeng said straightforwardly.
As expected of Xuanjing Sect, whose profession involves killing, almost every Xuanjing Sect carries an aura of murderous intent. When he’s serious and not smiling, he gives off a cold feeling, like an unsheathed sword. However, he seems to never have smiled.
“When did you set your eyes on me? I don’t even know you! How can you slander my reputation like this!” Yuanshun was anxious.
“Just today.”
“You!” Yuanshun’s face turned red with anger. She looked towards Gu Jianli for help and urgently said, “Madam, please be kind and definitely refuse this strange person!”
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but laugh. She lightly coughed to suppress her smile and said to Changfeng, “I don’t object, but it has to be with Yuanshun’s consent.”
“Understood.” Changfeng accepted the order, his cold and serious demeanor no different from when he used to receive execution orders.
After dinner, everyone immediately prepared to sleep, as they were all extremely tired from the past few days and finally could have a good rest. Gu Jianli knelt on the earthen bed, holding a short broom, carefully sweeping the dust off the bed, and then laid a clean mattress on it. Still, finding it unsatisfactory as it was previously used by villagers, she took Ji Wujing’s cotton cloak and carefully spread it out.
Ji Xinglou yawned and ran in from outside, ready to sleep.
Ji Wujing glanced at him and disdainfully said, “Go sleep next door.”
Ji Xinglou had one knee on the edge of the bed and was about to climb up. His movements involuntarily paused.