Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 107 Returning to the Lizhou Camp

"It's extremely urgent! Can you deliver a message to him? It would be best to take as many people as possible with you." Gu Qingyue noticed the young man's scrutinizing expression and knew he definitely wouldn't tell her where Mu Yun Chu was. So she changed the subject. She didn't need to know where he was, but she needed to find people to protect him as soon as possible.

Among the messages she saw yesterday was this one: Assassinate Mu Qi, at 3:45 PM on the fifth day of this month, gather thirty people, and it must be accomplished.

This is the most important information intercepted by her subordinates, the Moon Division. As for the fact that only Mu Qi appeared without a specific name, it is the result of multiple confirmations, and it is undoubtedly Mu Yun Chu.

"Someone wants to harm Master?" Mu Dongyuan's face scrunched up.

Although he was young, he was very perceptive and could tell from the boy's words that his master was likely in danger.

Thinking of this, he lowered his voice: "Who is it? Who wants to harm our master? When?"

Seeing the boy's anxious eyes, Gu Qingyue knew he should be alright, so she quickly recounted the information she had received in detail.

Of course, even if it's just said that one of his underlings overheard it by chance, it should be taken seriously regardless of whether it's true or not.

Upon hearing this, Mu Dong's face darkened. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then raised his hand in a solemn bow and hurried away.

Gu Qingyue felt a weight lifted from her heart.

When they returned to Wenxianglou with Manager Wang, it was just past lunchtime, and the teahouse was gradually getting busier.

Unlike dedicated restaurants, teahouses are places to eat. The peak business hours for teahouses are mainly from after lunch until late at night, before curfew.

Of course, there are many people in the early morning, mainly because they come to eat those Cantonese dim sum dishes for breakfast.

Gu Qingyue glanced at the account book, then carefully checked the condition of all the private rooms, pointed out some places that needed repair, and finally went to the kitchen to see the skills of several chefs, and was basically satisfied.

Then he mounted his horse and headed towards the Lizhou camp.

Gu Qingyue met Rong Zesheng ten miles outside the city, and then rode off again at full speed.

Three days later, when they arrived at Meigu Pass, about ten miles from the Lizhou camp, a dark-skinned, thin middle-aged man was waiting there. Gu Qingyue gave him a few instructions, and then followed the middle-aged man, Uncle Shao. Uncle Shao was someone Liu Feng had found to be stationed at various locations of the Moon Shadow Pavilion. He would be in charge of relaying messages later.

When Gu Qingyue rode alone to the camp, it was already getting dark.

Upon returning to the main camp, she immediately went to the medical tent, met Zhao Lansheng, and began treating the wounded soldiers in the armored tent.

The fighting between the two countries has intensified recently, resulting in a surge in the number of wounded soldiers.

Gu Qingyue felt extremely distressed as she looked at the young soldiers lying on stretchers being carried in, their conditions so terrible. Many of them were so young, yet they were missing limbs and didn't know how they would continue their lives.

According to her own understanding of the retirement system in the Great Chu, these soldiers would be sent back to their hometowns. Each wounded soldier would receive a pension of ten taels of silver. Of course, this was only the pension system issued by the Ministry of War, and most of them would actually receive less than one tael of silver.

As for the specific reasons, either the imperial court didn't have the money to pay, or the higher authorities skimmed off the lion's share at each level, leaving the poor soldiers lucky to even return alive.

Gu Qingyue couldn't help but mourn for each and every one of these vibrant lives. The battlefield is cruel, but the cruelest thing is that the passion to protect one's country is neglected and ignored. It's too cruel.

Looking around at the young faces, some contorted with pain, others numb with despair, Gu Qingyue felt a pang of heartache.

Pulling herself back to reality, she continued stitching up the boy's wounds. By this time, she had been working continuously for more than three hours. Her legs were already numb from standing. If she hadn't secretly used healing energy to relieve the fatigue in her legs, she probably would have collapsed to the ground long ago.

Zhao Lansheng dragged his tired body into the tent and saw Gu Qingyue still stitching up the wounds of the injured. Her hunched back trembled slightly, and Zhao Lansheng's eyes welled up with tears.

This kid is really tough! Three hours of hard work would break even an iron man.

"Go and rest for a while, it's almost dawn," Zhao Lansheng said, feeling a pang of pity.

Gu Qingyue turned around and gave a slight smile: "It'll be over soon, just a moment."

Zhao Lansheng stopped talking and silently brought a bowl of medicine to a wounded soldier next to him, helped him up, and slowly poured the medicine down his throat.

He wiped the wounded man's mouth and laid him flat.

Turning her head, she saw beads of sweat dripping from Gu Qingyue's forehead.

Just as Zhao Lansheng was about to step forward to help, he saw Gu Qingyue cut the stitches, straighten up, and begin to pack the medical kit beside her.

Zhao Lansheng had no choice but to silently take two steps back and wait.

"Brother Zhao, let's go," Gu Qingyue said, carrying a medical kit. She walked slowly to Zhao Lansheng's side, her beautiful phoenix eyes fixed on him. He immediately took a step back, composed himself, nodded, and turned to walk away.

Perhaps they were both exhausted, for they remained silent the whole way until they reached Gu Qingyue's small tent before stopping.

"Get some rest. You're still young. Don't overwork yourself," Zhao Lansheng said, seemingly casually.

Uh?

Gu Qingyue was a little confused. She had known Zhao Lansheng for so long, yet he would say such caring and considerate things. She was a little surprised, but she quickly understood. She guessed that there were too many wounded people recently, and she was indeed tired today, which was why she heard him say such caring words.

Thinking of this, she smiled and nodded her thanks, then turned and walked towards the small tent.

Zhao Lansheng watched the departing figure with complicated emotions in his eyes. He composed himself, the complexity in his eyes faded, and everything returned to calm. He looked up at the sky, where a hint of gray appeared on the horizon, and then he turned around and hurriedly went back.

Early in the morning, Gu Qingyue was awakened by the noise outside.

"Hurry up, go muster the troops," a man's hoarse voice rang out from afar.

Gu Qingyue suddenly opened her eyes.

That was Mu Nan's voice.

Could something have happened to Mu Yun Chu?

Gu Qingyue grabbed her coat and put it on quickly. As she walked, she gathered her hair, which she always wore in a bun on top of her head, and today was no exception.

Just as I stepped out of the tent, I saw soldiers rushing toward Mu Yun Chu's tent not far away.

Gu Qingyue was stunned for only a few moments before running over there.

Before even reaching the camp, they could see Gu Yuanming with bloodshot eyes giving orders to a large group of soldiers standing at the camp entrance.

"Second and Third Battalions, assemble your elites and go with Mu Nan. The rest of you, stand by and do not panic! The mission is to find Captain Mu. Remember, do not engage the enemy head-on! Remember, your goal is to find and rescue people."

After saying that, he whispered a few words to Mu Nan, who looked haggard, and then strode towards the commander's tent.

Gu Qingyue glanced at Mu Nan, who had already begun assembling his soldiers, and hurriedly ran towards Gu Yuanming's direction.

"General Gu, please wait a moment, I have something to say."

Gu Qingyue stopped a few steps away from Gu Yuanming.

"What is it?" Gu Yuanming turned around and saw the slender boy in front of him, his expression softening.

“I want to go with you to find Commander Mu. I’m a doctor, so I might be of use,” Gu Qingyue said, staring intently at the tall, handsome man before her.

Gu Yuanming lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Approved. Go and prepare. Follow Mu Nan and bring Captain Mu back safely."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

Gu Qingyue watched the departing man's figure, lost in thought.