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T H E S U N

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After the southern city gate was breached, the remaining forces of the Han Family collapsed into disarray, scattering in all directions without any semblance of organized resistance. The Jin army, notably, did not dispatch reinforcements.

It was true that the Jin forces couldn't care less whether the Han Family lived or died, but the more pressing reason was that the other three city gates were also suffering from terrifyingly fierce attacks.

Marquis Xuanping had seized advanced siege equipment from the State of Liang, which further worsened the already precarious situation for the Jin army.

Originally, the Jin army had the advantage of defending the city, needing only half their forces to hold the line. But now, they were forced to commit their entire strength to hold the city.

Meanwhile, Gu Jiao had been successfully rescued, and everyone let out a collective breath of relief.

The civilians whom Gu Jiao had saved were taken away by Wen Renchong. He assigned a cavalryman to escort them to a nearby medical hall, while the others were ordered to remain on standby, awaiting their next assignment.

The Old Marquis set Gu Jiao down on a small stone pedestal along the street inside the city. The Black Wind King came over and sniffed her curiously.

Just as Gu Jiao was about to say “I’m fine,” she glanced at Old Marquis beside her and changed her mind, merely raising her hand to gently pat the horse.

Wen Renchong and his two companions walked over.

Zhao Dengfeng looked Gu Jiao over and asked, “Are you alright, Young Commander?”

Gu Jiao pulled out her little notebook and scribbled swiftly: “I’m fine.”

All three of them frowned.

What’s going on? Why is the young commander writing it down? Has the young commander yelled himself hoarse?

Old Marquis stood with his hands clasped behind his back and a cold expression on his face. An inexplicable frustration welled up inside him, but he had no outlet to release it.

He had spent quite some time in the State of Yan by now and had picked up a fair amount of the language. For simpler conversations, he could both understand and speak a little.

He heard the three former subordinates of the Xuanyuan Family repeatedly mention one name——Han Ye.

“I’ll go capture him!” Li Shen declared.

“I should go instead!” Zhao Dengfeng said. “Your arm is injured. Go let the medic bandage it.”

Li Shen gave his left arm a nonchalant glance and said, “It’s just a minor wound.”

Wen Renchong interjected, “You two stay here and guard the city. Lord Zhou and I will go after him.”

Old Marquis hesitated briefly, then opened his mouth and spoke in slightly broken Yan language, “This Han Ye you’re talking about... is he in his twenties? Very young?”

All three of them nodded in unison. “Yes!”

Old Marquis pointed toward a nearby alley. “There’s someone tied up in there. Don’t know if he’s the one you’re looking for?”

Zhao Dengfeng immediately ordered two cavalrymen into the alley, and soon they emerged carrying out a man who had been knocked unconscious and bound.

When everyone took a closer look, who else could it be but Han Ye?

Zhao Dengfeng’s mouth twitched. “You know Han Ye?”

Old Marquis replied, “No. I thought he was a deserter.”

Everyone: “…”

Gu Jiao nodded seriously and gave the Old Marquis a big thumbs-up.

That’s my sworn elder brother for you!

Old Marquis: “……”

Well, Han Ye had been dealt with. But the matter wasn’t over yet. Zhao Dengfeng exclaimed angrily, “There’s still Yue Liuyi! She was the one who triggered that trap just now! She nearly got the Young Commander killed! I swear I’ll catch her and tear her to pieces!”

When the three of them rushed to the city tower, they didn’t catch sight of Yue Liuyi, but her arrogant and venomous voice rang out from somewhere nearby.

Everyone was infuriated by her.

So young, yet already this malicious! She had to be eliminated quickly, or who knew how many more people she might harm in the future!

Wen Renchong said, “It sounds like there’s a mechanism below the tower. Let’s look for it in a bit.”

Old Marquis fell silent for a moment, then spoke again, “Perhaps… that won’t be necessary.”

All of them turned to look at him in unison.

Zhao Dengfeng blinked and asked, “Don’t tell me… you caught her too?”

“That, I did not.” Old Marquis said.

The three of them let out a deep breath of relief.

That made more sense. Yue Liuyi had only just left, and then he showed up right after. It wouldn’t be reasonable if he had managed to catch her in such a short amount of time.

Truly, not giving any leeway for experts to survive.

Old Marquis said calmly, “I merely triggered a mechanism in the underground room. At this moment, she should be trapped inside.”

The three of them: “???”

In recent days, Old Marquis had been gathering intelligence in Pucheng, though he hadn’t infiltrated the military camp or the City Lord’s residence. Instead, he had followed a few suspicious-looking soldiers to a gambling house on the outskirts of the city.

Yue Liuyi had taken over that gambling house, transforming it into a hideout where she tested poisons and installed mechanisms.

Old Marquis had set his sights on Yue Liuyi.

Over the past few days, he had been tailing her movements, gradually mapping out almost every trap and mechanism she had laid throughout Pucheng.

“So, where’s the entrance?” Zhao Dengfeng asked.

Old Marquis pointed in a direction. “Right behind that door.”

Given how dangerous Yue Liuyi was, the three of them didn’t dare leave the task to others; they decided to investigate personally.

Sure enough, they found the hidden chamber. And indeed, they saw Yue Liuyi crushed to the ground beneath a massive thousand-jin jack.

Her leg bones were completely shattered, several ribs were broken, her dantian was destroyed, and she had vomited a pool of blood.

She probably never dreamed that she would be ruined by the very trap formation she had designed herself.

……

Next came the planning for their next move. The Han Family still had twenty thousand troops within the city. Old Marquis did not agree with pursuing them.

Old Marquis said, “It was easy to take the southern gate, and soon it will be easy to breach the defenses. But if the Jin army realizes they can’t win and decides to retreat through the southern gate, what are your plans then? Will you let them go, or will you defend the gate?”

Exactly.

This wasn’t territory belonging to the State of Jin, after all. The Jin army had no reason to hold it at all costs; at worst, they would simply retreat.

It seemed the forces stationed here couldn’t be moved.

Gu Jiao pulled out her little notebook and quickly wrote: “Sworn Brother really is a seasoned veteran, so thorough in his thinking!”

Her handwriting was far from pretty, but that smug little tone practically leapt off the page!

Old Marquis turned his head away coldly.

Gu Jiao rubbed her chin. Was her sworn elder brother in a bad mood?

The soldiers of the Black Wind Cavalry and the Shadow Division rested on the spot. Zhou Ren and his men pitched camp and cleaned up the battlefield. Zhang Shiyong went to handle and reorganize the prisoners of war. Wen Renchong and his companions returned to their respective duties; some repaired armor, some cooked, some chopped wood.

Gu Jiao sat on a stone stool outside the tent, reviewing the latest intelligence reports delivered by a scout.

Old Marquis sat across from her, watching her coldly.

Clad in armor, helmet on head, her face covered in grime, she looked like a complete tomboy.

Old Marquis’s gaze was frosty. He began to shake his leg, first the right, then the left, and after that, he switched positions and started again.

Gu Jiao was utterly focused, lost in thought, mentally constructing various strategies in response.

Old Marquis folded his arms across his chest.

Even after quite a while had passed, Gu Jiao still hadn’t so much as glanced his way.

He suddenly stood up with a swish and strode right in front of her, his tall and imposing figure casting a complete shadow over her.

Gu Jiao blinked in mild surprise. Huh? Who’s blocking my light?

Gurgle~

Her stomach growled.

She caught sight of the brocade pouch at Old Marquis’s waist, from which a delicious aroma was wafting out.

The old man frowned as he looked at her drooling expression, unfastened the pouch from his waist, and casually tossed it to her. Inside the pouch were a few pieces of crisp sugar candy and several walnuts.

Gu Jiao wasn’t fond of sugar candy, so she took out the walnuts instead.

Normally, a girl receiving walnuts would delicately hand them to her grandfather and say in a soft, shy voice, “Grandfather, the walnuts are too hard for me to crack. Could you open them for me?”

But her?

She grabbed two, and with a loud bang, smashed them against her own helmet!

The sweet and gentle image of his granddaughter JiaoJiao that had been lingering in the Old Marquis’s mind was instantly obliterated!

He trembled all over and stared at Gu Jiao in utter disbelief!

Gu Jiao held out the cracked walnut before him.

Here, you want some?

The Old Marquis: “…”

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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