freenovelworld Chapter 363 Tiger Tooth Mountain, Bandits?
Chapter 363 Tiger Tooth Mountain, Bandits?
On the military camp's training ground, a group of soldiers, stripped of their armor, huddled together, their clamor almost lifting the tents off the ground.
"Have you heard? It was quite a spectacle on the streets yesterday!"
A burly man with a thick beard was gesturing wildly, spitting as he spoke, "Two princesses, fighting right there in the street! I heard one of them even fainted from anger..."
"Tsk tsk, which princess is so fierce?" someone asked curiously.
"Who else!"
Another soldier with a pointed face winked and gestured toward a figure not far away.
"Isn't that just our Deputy General Gu's former wife and concubine!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes immediately turned to Gu Cheng'an, who was facing away from them and wiping his sword.
Gu Cheng'an's hand, which was wiping the knife, suddenly stopped, and the blade reflected a dazzling cold light in the sunlight.
He didn't even need to turn around to confirm; he knew perfectly well what was going on!
It must be Du Ruoling stirring up trouble again; otherwise, given Lin Xingyao's personality, she wouldn't have clashed with her in the street.
He sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
"Hey, Brother Gu, don't go!"
The soldier stepped in front of him and said, "Now that you've made a name for yourself and are a lieutenant general, haven't you thought about... taking another beautiful wife or something?"
Gu Cheng'an's face darkened, his eyes turning icy cold.
"Not interested." He bluntly uttered those three words.
How could he possibly still be interested?
The huge hole in my heart is still bleeding to this day.
The pain and betrayal brought by Du Ruoling, and the changes in the Anyang Marquis's mansion, are deeply etched in his heart.
He will probably never be able to truly open his heart to another woman again in his life.
Whenever the night is quiet, another image will involuntarily appear in his mind.
The figures of the eldest brother and Chu Ruohan standing side by side.
One was gentle and refined, the other intelligent and serene; they were a perfect match, their love as sweet as wine and as harmonious as music.
That kind of warmth and tacit understanding was the luxury he longed for most in his midnight dreams, yet dared not touch.
Chu Ruohan...
The thought of that name filled Gu Cheng'an with a pang of regret.
That should have been his wife!
But he was completely devoted to Du Ruoling, and in the end, he suffered a terrible fate...
"Alright, alright! What kind of noise is this! Disperse!" A loud and clear voice rang out as General Shi strode in.
The former Deputy General Shi also made great contributions on the Pingzhou battlefield and is now a majestic general.
The soldiers who were watching were immediately silenced by his imposing gaze and scattered like birds and beasts.
General Shi's sharp gaze swept over the departing crowd, finally landing on Gu Cheng'an, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Deputy General Gu, you stay."
Gu Cheng'an suppressed the turmoil in his heart, clasped his hands and said, "General Shi."
General Shi walked to his side, looked at the much emptier training ground, and said in a deep voice, "The General has been on leave these past few days, and there's no one to oversee the army. Look at these bastards, how lazy they've become!"
"They dare to slack off during routine drills! If they were on the battlefield, they'd lose their heads!"
He paused, looked at Gu Cheng'an, and his tone became serious: "Perfect timing, I have something I need you to do..."
"Tiger Fang Mountain?" Gu Cheng'an's expression hardened, and his hand unconsciously went to his sword.
General Shi's face was grim. "In the past few days, we have received news that a band of outlaws has come to Tiger Tooth Mountain. They number about a hundred, have taken over the mountain, and are burning, killing, and looting the surrounding people. They are committing all sorts of atrocities."
Gu Cheng'an pondered for a moment, then frowned and said, "Such matters should be handled by the county government first. Why were they handed over to us?"
"Hmph!" General Shi sneered, "The county government has already sent two teams of constables, and they were all wiped out! Not a single survivor was left."
"Those bandits somehow acquired a lot of bows and crossbows, which terrified the county magistrate, so he came to the general for help."
Gu Cheng'an's gaze sharpened. A bandit who could make even a county magistrate fearful must be no ordinary person.
"The General instructed me to select a capable person to investigate thoroughly." General Shi gave Gu Cheng'an a meaningful look. "After thinking about it, I think you are the most suitable."
"Your humble servant obeys." Gu Cheng'an composed himself and bowed. "When shall we depart?"
"Tomorrow morning," General Shi said in a low voice, "this trip is only to investigate the situation. Remember, do not act rashly."
"Take a team of elite soldiers and secretly scout the situation in the mountains. Report back immediately after you have ascertained the enemy's situation."
"You will finally understand."
General Shi patted Gu Cheng'an on the shoulder, a rare look of concern on his face: "Be careful."
Gu Cheng'an nodded in agreement...
Before dawn, he had already led twenty elite knights on their way.
They weren't wearing military uniforms, only civilian clothes, with long knives at their waists, making them look like a caravan heading to the border.
"It will take about a day to get to Tiger Tooth Mountain," Gu Cheng'an whispered to the group. "When you meet anyone along the way, pretend to be a merchant and don't reveal your identity."
Everyone responded in unison, their expressions solemn.
The group rode swiftly, and in less than half a day, they could see the rolling mountains in the distance. One of the peaks was particularly steep, and from a distance, it looked like a sharp tiger's tooth. This was their destination.
"There's a village ahead, let's go scout ahead." Gu Cheng'an raised his hand to signal them to slow down.
The village was small, but surprisingly deserted; there were hardly any people on the streets.
Only a few elderly people sat trembling in front of the door. When they saw strangers riding in on horseback, they immediately shrank back into the house like frightened birds.
Gu Cheng'an frowned, gestured for everyone to dismount, and then walked towards what looked like a small shop.
"Excuse me, sir," he said kindly as he pushed open the half-closed door.
An elderly man with a white beard was tidying up items behind the counter when he heard the sound. He looked up, his face full of vigilance: "What brings you here, sir?"
"We are merchants passing through, and we would like to inquire about the road to the North," Gu Cheng'an said in a low voice. "We've heard that things have been rather unsettled in this area lately?"
The old man looked Gu Cheng'an up and down a few times and saw that he looked sincere.
He sighed and said, "If you wish to travel north, you should take a detour. Ever since that band of mountain bandits arrived, villages within a hundred miles have suffered."
Gu Cheng'an's eyes lit up: "Is it that group from Tiger Tooth Mountain?"
"Exactly!" The old man's voice immediately lowered, his face filled with fear.
"That group of people is extremely vicious. Three days ago, they came down the mountain and kidnapped girls from the east village, killing the men who resisted. The county government sent people there, but they didn't even leave a trace of their bones!"
Gu Cheng'an asked in a deep voice, "Do you know how many people were in that group? Where did they come from?"
The old man shook his head: "It is said that there are about a hundred people, whose origins are unknown, but they are all highly skilled and use weapons that are different from ordinary mountain bandits."
He paused, then lowered his voice, "Some people say they're like a well-trained army."
The army? Gu Cheng'an's heart skipped a beat...