After the rebirth of Madam Hou Clan, her heart was sealed with cement

Chapter 356: Self-injury alone, fighting for military pay

Early the next morning, yesterday's meeting between the admiral and the prefect was hotly discussed in the streets and alleys again.

In the teahouse, the people were talking a lot, and their support and admiration for Gu Huaijing and Tan Zhixu were beyond words.

"Did you hear that? In order to protect the second wife who was born as a merchant, the Admiral had a head-on confrontation with Prefect Xu!" A young tea guest told the story with admiration on his face.

"This admiral is really a true hero with love and righteousness. We in northern Shaanxi are really lucky to have such a parent officer!" An old man said with emotion.

On the other side, when Guyu in the shop heard these discussions, he respected Tan Zhixu even more, and he was also proud of his master's wisdom and courage.

In the hidden study, Gu Huaijing was staring at a map of the northwest frontier, his fingertips gently tracing the mountains and rivers, his eyes shining with perseverance.

He said solemnly to the Vine Commander next to him: "No matter when and where, we hope that everyone can work together to overcome the difficulties. As for Prefect Xu, we must not only guard against his little moves, but also counterattack in time to let him know We are not soft persimmons."

Commander Teng nodded and accepted the order. When the two looked at each other, they both saw the determination and firmness in the other's eyes.

Outside the window, the sun shines, reflecting on the stone lions outside Jing'an Hall, creating a peaceful and peaceful atmosphere.

In the afternoon, the discussion in the streets became more and more heated, and the names of Gu Huaijing and Tan Zhixu became a hot topic among the people after dinner.

At this moment, Tan Zhixu personally changed the dressings for the injured soldiers in the mansion. Her attentiveness and kindness moved everyone present.

"Madam is really kind-hearted. She even does such small things personally." An injured soldier burst into tears of gratitude.

Tan Zhixu smiled softly and said: "As doctors, how can we differentiate based on our status? What's more, they were injured while guarding the border and defending their homeland."

The news spread like wildfire. When Prefect Xu heard about it, he became even more anxious.

He understood that the more seemingly ordinary actions like this, the more likely he would win the hearts and minds of the people and shake his position in northern Shaanxi.

At the same time, Gu Huaijing received a secret letter from the capital and learned that someone in the court was indeed planning to use the situation in the northwest to deal with him.

He put the letter in his sleeve and said to Teng Xi calmly: "It seems that this storm is more violent than I expected."

As night fell, the lights of the Hou Mansion were brightly lit, and Gu Huaijing summoned everyone to discuss countermeasures.

He said solemnly: "Prefect Xu's little actions are just superficial, and the forces behind it are the key. What we have to do is to let him reap the consequences, and at the same time, we must protect everyone in the mansion, especially Zhixu."

The next day, Gu Huaijing took the opportunity to invite Prefect Xu to participate in a disaster relief performance. It was nominally to raise funds for the frontier troops, but in fact it was to expose the conspiracy behind it.

In front of the people of the city, Gu Huaijing made an impassioned speech, enumerating the various inactions of Prefect Xu, and displayed the evidence collected from the border areas on the spot, directly accusing him of embezzling military pay and neglecting people's livelihood.

For a moment, the crowd erupted with sounds of shock and anger, and many people who had been bullied by Prefect Xu cried bitterly and shed tears of gratitude to Gu Huaijing.

Governor Xu looked livid and tried to make excuses, but Gu Huaijing refuted them one by one. In the end, he could only flee the scene in embarrassment.

The people clapped their hands and praised the admiral's wise decision. At night, Gu Huaijing and Tan Zhixu sat together under the moon, looking at the stars, and he said softly: "Xu Xu, you and I are not things in the pool. We are destined to forge ahead in the turbulent times. But as long as you are by my side. , No matter how big the storm is, I am not afraid.”

Tan Zhixu smiled slightly, with a firm light shining in his eyes, "Brother Jing, the same is true for me. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, I am willing to fight side by side with you and ride the wind and rain together."

In the early morning of the next day, the sun had not yet filled the whole city. The shop had just opened, and Gu Yu was busy sorting out the medicinal materials he had just bought.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence. Tengxi broke into the shop with sweating profusely and shouted anxiously: "Second Madam, it's bad! Your Excellency is missing!"

When Tan Zhixu heard the news, the gun in her hand slipped instantly, and the crisp impact echoed in the empty shop. She frowned, and there was a trace of worry and determination in her eyes.

"What's going on? He was fine last night."

Tengxi was still breathing, and quickly explained: "This morning I went to the study to report official business, and found that your Excellency was not there. After questioning, I found out that he left the mansion before dawn, leaving only a note saying that he had important matters to deal with, but he did not Describe in detail where to go.”

When the people around heard this, they talked a lot. Some were surprised, some were worried, and some were curious about Gu Huaijing's mysterious whereabouts.

"Oh, this admiral is also impatient and went out so early." An old man who often comes to buy medicine frowned.

"Something big must have happened again. You see, even our calm Admiral is in such a hurry." The young tea guest guessed with admiration and a little nervousness.

Tan Zhixu looked down at the note handed by Teng Xi on the ground. There were only a few words on it: "Don't worry, everything is fine." She took a deep breath and looked up at Teng Xi, "Let's go find him. Where are the clues?”

Teng Xi nodded and told them all the clues he had, and the two decided to set off immediately.

Before leaving, Tan Zhixu asked Gu Yu to take good care of the shop and hinted that she should contact the Hou Mansion in time if anything unusual happened.

In the streets and alleys, news spread quickly, and discussions about the Admiral's sudden disappearance arose one after another.

At this moment, Tan Zhixu and Teng Xi were already hurrying up, following Gu Huaijing's possible whereabouts.

Along the way, they met many knowledgeable people, and through their descriptions and guidance, they gradually outlined the new crises that Gu Huaijing might face.

And somewhere in the distance, Gu Huaijing was facing a more dangerous challenge alone. His figure looked lonely and tenacious under the rising sun.

"Brother Jing, no matter where you are, I will definitely find you." Tan Zhixu thought silently in his heart, holding the reins in his hand and looking firmly ahead, which was an unknown but challenging road.

During the tracking process, Tan Zhixu and Teng Xi went through hardships and finally found Gu Huaijing in a remote valley who was seriously injured and besieged by a group of men in black.

Although he was exhausted, he still stood his ground and never flinched. Witnessing this scene, Tan Zhixu's heart was as sharp as a knife. He grasped the hilt of the sword tightly and fought side by side with Teng Xi. He instantly turned the tide of the battle and successfully defeated the man in black.

"Brother Jing, how are you?" Tan Zhixu anxiously ran to Gu Huaijing's side and supported him as he was shaking.

Gu Huaijing forced out a smile and said weakly but firmly: "I can still hold on... These guys seem to be here for the northwest military pay."