Volume Two: Inheriting the Legacy, Embroidered Uniforms Stained with Blood Chapter 108: Uncle

Yang Ning emerged from the valley, finding the journey surprisingly smooth. The carriages left outside the valley had vanished without a trace, signaling that the little demon girl had already taken the spirits and fled. It seemed she still feared Tang Nuo deeply; having burned down his house, she naturally dared not linger.

He had no idea where he was, not even certain if he was still on the surface of Jiangling. Under the cover of night, he wandered until he reached a main road. Unable to discern direction, Yang Ning did not rush but found shelter in a nearby forest to rest for the night. At dawn, he discovered a village and learned he had already left Jiangling. Fortunately, he carried some small silver coins and hired a donkey cart nearby, traveling for a full day and night before finally reaching the surface of Jiangling.

The Gu family of Jiangling was a prominent clan, making it easy to inquire about their residence. Their mansion was located in Qinghe City, which was over a hundred miles from Jingzhou City. After two days of travel, the donkey cart arrived at Qinghe City. Yang Ning paid extra to hasten the journey and entered the city directly, his heart heavy with worry that Gu Qinghan had not yet returned.

The Gu family was one of the great houses of Jiangling, so finding their mansion was effortless. By the time he reached the Gu estate, dusk was falling. The gates stood wide open, and Yang Ning strode in without hesitation. A family servant immediately blocked his way, rolling his eyes disdainfully. "Who do you think you are, barging in like this? Don’t you even know where you are?"

"I'm here to see Lord Gu," Yang Ning replied, unsure who held authority in the Gu household but thinking that seeking the lord would not be wrong.

The servant responded sharply, "Our lord is occupied with important matters and sees no one for now."

Yang Ning frowned. "Is the Third Lady of the Jinyi Marquis Mansion your young mistress?"

The servant immediately puffed up his chest. "That’s common knowledge. What business is it of yours?"

"Has the Third Lady returned home?" Yang Ning asked anxiously. "I have urgent matters to discuss with her."

The servant scrutinized Yang Ning briefly, then smirked. "You think you can see her just because you say so? The Third Lady is busy and has no time for you."

Yang Ning brightened. "So she really has come back?" He breathed a sigh of relief. "I am Qi Ning; please inform—"

Before he could finish, the servant’s expression changed drastically. "Qi… You are…!" Without another word, he turned and dashed inside. Moments later, a commotion arose within the mansion, and a crowd poured out. At the forefront stood none other than Gu Qinghan.

"Ning’er, is that you?" Gu Qinghan called out in panic, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yang Ning hurried forward, seeing her tear-streaked but unharmed, a great weight lifted from his heart. "Third Mother, you’re here—that’s wonderful."

Gu Qinghan stepped forward as Yang Ning, overcome with emotion, opened his arms to embrace her. Suddenly realizing the many people around, he felt awkward but could not lower his arms. Instead, he clasped the arm of a man nearby—a man in his early thirties, whose features bore a striking resemblance to Gu Qinghan.

The man, caught off guard by the embrace, quickly returned it with joy. "Young Master, we’ve worried day and night these past days. You’ve finally arrived."

Yang Ning quickly withdrew and looked at Gu Qinghan, who, while shedding tears, smiled radiantly, her beauty unparalleled. "Third Mother, I told you I’d come quickly to join you. Why didn’t you believe me?"

"Young Master, your sister has cried countless times. I sent people to Xiashan but could find no trace of you," the man said. "Fortune favors the brave; I knew you’d be safe. Everything here is ready. Just say the word, and we’ll set out immediately."

"Everything ready?" Yang Ning asked, surprised.

The man replied, "I’ve gathered every able-bodied guard in the Gu family—over a hundred strong. For this mission, I’ve prepared over a hundred horses and the banners are ready. Young Master, shall we march under the Jinyi Marquis banner or the Great Chu’s?" He gestured, "Bring them forward!"

Two men promptly brought forth two banners—one embroidered with a blood-red "Chu," the other with a "Qi."

Yang Ning couldn’t help but smile wryly. The man remained enthusiastic, "Young Master will lead the main army, and I will command ten riders as the vanguard to strike first at the Qi family’s old mansion."

"Brother, you…!" Gu Qinghan looked uneasy. "Young Master has his plans. You don’t need to…"

"My sister, now that the Qi family has traitors, they are enemies of the state," the man declared solemnly. "Since the Gu and Qi families share blood, we must stand up."

Only then did Yang Ning realize the man was Gu Qinghan’s elder brother. Seeing Yang Ning’s confusion, Gu Qinghan explained, "This is your uncle, Gu Wenzhang."

Wenzhang? Could it be that he was well-versed in literature?

Yang Ning bowed slightly. "Qi Ning greets Uncle."

"Young Master, no need for formalities. Let’s focus on the matter at hand. When do we set off?" Gu Wenzhang was visibly excited. "It’s late already. I suggest we move immediately, striking under cover of night." Unrolling a map from his sleeve, he added, "I had this drawn up. Shall we plan here first?"

Yang Ning thought to himself how fond his uncle was of military strategy. The old mansion was not far, yet he had prepared a map.

Gu Qinghan sighed. "Brother, please don’t cause trouble. Ning’er… Young Master just arrived and hasn’t even had a bite. Can you at least let him rest first?"

"Right, right, I forgot," Gu Wenzhang patted his head. "Bring in a feast to welcome the Young Master. We’ll eat and discuss."

Yang Ning thought that although his uncle seemed a bit eccentric, leaving soon made sense. Though Zhao Yuan was dead, the imposter posing as Qi Cheng was still at large. It was uncertain if he remained at the old mansion; the sooner they arrived, the better their chance to capture him.

"Uncle, you’re right—speed is of the essence," Yang Ning smiled. "Since you’re prepared, the sooner we set out, the better. We can crush those traitors in one decisive strike."

Gu Wenzhang was delighted by the praise. "No wonder you’re the Jinyi Young Master—truly a warrior’s spirit. Attendants, prepare my armor; I’m going to war with the Young Master." He then asked, "Young Master, as the saying goes, before the troops move, provisions must be in place. If the enemy holds the old mansion stubbornly and we cannot break in immediately, it could drag on. Should I gather more men to transport supplies? I’ll have the household prepare wine and food as rations."

"No need, Uncle," Yang Ning chuckled. "This will be a swift surprise attack under cover of night. Their forces are weaker than ours; we should take the mansion easily. If it drags on, we can prepare supplies then."

Gu Wenzhang nodded. "Wise words, Young Master." Turning to one subordinate, he said, "Steward Xu, we march tonight. Prepare the household. If we don’t return within two days, it means heavy fighting. Send provisions immediately. Also, after we leave, go to the county magistrate and ask him to dispatch some men to guard the mansion. We can’t risk a sneak attack on our home base."

Yang Ning thought that though his uncle was a bit scatterbrained, his plans were thorough. He spoke softly to Gu Qinghan, "Third Mother, wait here. We’ll return soon."

"Ning’er, be careful," Gu Qinghan warned, worry deep in her beautiful eyes. "Those men are mysterious and hard to handle. If things go badly, go to Jingzhou City and ask the governor for reinforcements."

"My sister, we have over a hundred men—each is formidable," Gu Wenzhang retorted. "They hunt with me regularly and are skilled horsemen and archers. Do you distrust me? If we go to Jingzhou for troops now, the traitors’ spies will catch wind, and they’ll all scatter. The Young Master said it himself—speed is everything. No dilly-dallying."

Gu Qinghan couldn’t help but glare at him. "Even if speed is crucial, shouldn’t the Young Master and everyone eat before setting out?"

Gu Wenzhang laughed, "An emperor never starves his soldiers. I know that well enough."

Indeed, Gu Wenzhang had made ample preparations: over a hundred strong guards and more than a hundred fine horses. He clearly had awaited Yang Ning’s arrival.

After the meal, they wasted no time. Gu Wenzhang donned armor and carried a bronze staff. His men bore weapons like iron forks and axes. Since the founding of Great Chu, the Sword Hunt Decree forbade commoners from owning blades, and even noble families could not openly keep knives under penalty of treason.

The Gu family, though powerful, kept their weapons hidden. Though the city gates were closed at night, no one dared stop the Gu family’s departure. Gu Wenzhang led the charge, riding out first. He was well acquainted with the terrain, and the over a hundred horsemen thundered fiercely toward the Qi family’s old mansion.

They rode swiftly without pause. By midnight, they were only a few miles from the mansion. Gu Wenzhang, excited, reined in his horse and said to Yang Ning, "Young Master, the situation at the mansion is unclear. Should we send scouts ahead? I can take a few men to reconnoiter. We’ll use fire arrows as signals: if you see them in the sky, charge forward immediately."

Yang Ning replied, "Uncle, I know the area well. Why don’t you stay here with the main force? I’ll take two men to scout ahead."

Gu Wenzhang’s expression grew serious. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. "You make a good point. We’ll wait here. At the first sign of trouble, I’ll lead men forward."

Without further words, Yang Ning took two men and approached the mansion. Under the night’s cloak, they saw the mansion brightly lit. Before they could get close, armored men blocked the road.

"Who goes there? Dismount at once!" a stern voice ordered.

Yang Ning frowned. "Who are you?"

"We are troops under the Jingzhou governor," one answered. "This area is sealed off. No one is allowed to pass. Trespassers will be executed without mercy!"