061 Gong Shuwu

"Saving a life is worth more than building a seven-tiered pagoda. It's our duty to help when we see injustice. This is the conduct of our ilk, noble sir," Shen Tang declared boldly. Ignoring the fact that she held a roasted cake in her hand, there was a hint of the aura of a wandering knight about her.

Even if one's words are sharp as those of Qishan, at this moment, there's no energy to criticize the flaws in Shen Xiaolangjun's words - Xiaolangjun saved a life, but how many lives were ended by a sword at his throat? The drunkard didn't even remember it himself.

As for "intervening when one sees injustice," it's rather interesting. Clearly, Xiaolangjun was going berserk, rushing to someone's aid with a sword drawn.

Qishan found many flaws, but the "thief" didn't see it that way. He thought Shen Tang spoke with a natural honesty, causing his taut nerves to loosen slightly, his brows unfurrowing, and his shoulders relaxing.

With a courteous promise, he said, "Great kindness needs no words. If your benefactor needs assistance in the future, I shall do the utmost, even if it means laboring like a dog or horse!"

Shen Tang smiled and said, "Of course, of course."

As she spoke, she handed out the freshly roasted cakes.

Whether it was due to having a light dinner or exerting oneself after drinking, she felt uncomfortably hungry at the moment, a sense of emptiness after indulgence that was hard to describe. After just dividing them up, regardless of the cakes still being hot, she took a bite, leaving behind a neat crescent mark of teeth.

"Thank you, Brother Shen," Zhai Le, no longer sitting cross-legged, politely accepted the roasted cake handed to him by Shen Tang. The cake was crispy and golden brown on the outside, with a slightly bitter and sweet taste. Holding the cake, he sighed, "With such a scene, wouldn't it be splendid with some fine wine?"

Fine wine???

At the mention of "wine," Qishan's sensitive nerves were triggered.

He endured the faint ache in his temples and said with a hidden agenda, "Young friend, I cannot bear to hear the word 'wine' at the moment."

Just the mention of wine brought back memories of Xiaolangjun brandishing a sword in a drunken frenzy, a scene he could never forget! Older folks couldn't handle this kind of thing.

Zhai Le, seeing his smile, shrank back nervously.

Shen Tang also felt a guilty sweat trickle down her forehead.

To break the almost solidified tension, Shen Tang took the initiative to change the subject, turning to the "thief" who was sitting and recuperating.

"Do you mind sharing your name, sir?"

This question caused the "thief" to pause for a moment, his expression momentarily freezing before returning to normal. If one didn't observe closely, it could be mistaken for a trick of the light.

"I am known as Gongshu Wu," he replied.

Gongshu Wu?

Gongshu Banbu?

This name was quite peculiar.

Not to mention that the compound surname Gongshu is extremely rare, just the combination of name and nickname is strange. In ancient times, six feet was half a step, so Banbu would be Wu.

The parents who named him were certainly not indifferent, but their direction of diligence was somewhat unconventional. However, Shen Tang didn't inquire further. After all, there are all kinds of birds in the forest. She even knew someone named "Wang," with the given name "Glory," or a surname "Gu," with the given name "Virtuous Cat."

Chewing on the cake, Zhai Le asked, "Do you know why they are hunting you down? And why they are willing to dispatch a Tier Eight official?"

Although martial courage cultivation is simpler than literary talent cultivation, and the threshold is lower, it doesn't mean that a Tier Eight official is just a common cabbage in the field. In fact, this is the ceiling for seventy percent of martial artists in their lifetime. Going further requires a certain talent, daily hard work, and luck.

Gongshu Wu shook his head. "I don't know."

Zhai Le was puzzled. "You don't know?"

Gongshu Wu gave a bitter smile, unwilling to say more.

Qishan sneered inwardly - not knowing why he's being hunted down, this kind of perfunctory explanation would only be believed by a three-year-old child.

The so-called Gongshu Wu was simply a pseudonym.

According to the records of the Thief Star Meteorite, there was once a man named Taishu Duan who fled after losing a battle in Gong territory, also known as "Taishu Duan."

As generations passed, it gradually evolved into the Duan clan, Gongshu clan, and Gong clan, and then to the more well-known Gong clan.

Thinking of this, it became clear.

The Gong clan and the Duan clan.

Martial and literary.

Wu as martial, Banbu as literary.

Therefore, the present Gongshu Wu is actually the Ninth-Rank Grand Minister of the Gong clan who fled abroad - Gong Wen, Gong Yi!

Qishan remained outwardly calm, seemingly unaware of Gongshu Wu's unease. He chose to act as if he didn't know Gongshu Wu's identity, merely expressing concern: "A thief's heart may never die. Sooner or later, they may return to wreak havoc. Lord Gongshu, have you considered a plan of action?"

Gongshu Wu shook his head, a weary expression on his face tinged with an unhealthy flush. Despite being in good physical condition as a Ninth-Rank Grand Minister, his body was covered in wounds. He had been tirelessly evading capture after being tracked, with no time for recuperation. Some wounds had healed on their own, leaving only long red scars, while others reopened or worsened, with many becoming infected and festering. Qishan's concern was his greatest worry at the moment, but also the most helpless.

After a moment, he sighed lightly, "If there's truly no way out, I can only flee to a neighboring country for refuge. Perhaps I can find a glimmer of hope there."

Qishan lowered his gaze, contemplating, emulating Gongshu Wu's "heart-to-heart" openness.

"To be honest, I too have recently returned from studying abroad. It's not peaceful there either, with harsh governance, heavy taxes, and frequent wars, leaving vast stretches of land desolate. Compared to that, Geng Kingdom is actually preferable."

The wars between Geng and Xin Kingdom have already concluded. Other countries are either currently at war or preparing for it.

Gongshu Duan listened quietly to this, his expression dead silent, evoking a sense of vastness and desolation, with no place for him to stand in this world.

Qishan could somewhat understand his feelings. Except for Zhai Le, who hails from the southeast, everyone else present is a citizen of Xin Kingdom. Yet Xin Kingdom has already perished and been renamed "Chongtai." Although in this era, founding and falling of nations and the iteration of household registrations are quite common, and the knowledgeable do not adhere strictly to the concept of "nationality," there's still a sense of desolation akin to "being uprooted from one's home" that permeates.

Like lost dogs.

Describing the current exhausted state of Gongshu Wu, it's quite apt.

Zhai Le was single-mindedly focused on eating his cake.

Shen Tang, however, was different. She ate her cake while also observing Qishan and Gongshu Wu—her intuition told her that this guy harbored ill intentions!

What a schemer!

During a brawl, he always ensures his own safety, paddling on the sidelines. As long as his teammates don't die, he doesn't care.

How could such a scheming guy actively care about others' mental health, comfort the weak souls, and even engage in "heart-to-heart" conversations?

No good deed goes unpunished; it's either deceitful or thieving.

Shen Tang's eyes shifted, a strange tacit understanding forming.

"Lord Gongshu, have you heard of the phrase 'darkness under the lamp'?"

"Darkness under the lamp? Of course," he replied.

"Then you should also be familiar with the saying, 'the most dangerous place is the safest place.' The ones hunting you down know that you've fled to Xiaocheng, so they will naturally suspect you've fled to another country. Perhaps they'll even lay ambushes on the routes you're likely to take, waiting for you to walk into their trap. It might be better to do nothing."

"Do nothing?"

Shen Tang said, "Conceal your identity and hide here in Xiaocheng."

This assist satisfied Qishan inwardly. He continued, "There's a recent rumor circulating, 'the Purple Emperor emerges from the northwest, ensuring peace under heaven,' stirring up quite a fuss. There are also many unfamiliar faces in Sibao County. By hiding among them, the risk of being discovered is actually reduced."

Gongshu Wu's heart wavered greatly.

Darkness under the lamp...

Staying in the most dangerous Xiaocheng...

Internally conflicted, he finally couldn't resist the temptation.

Nodding, he agreed, "Mm."

Gongshu - Gong

Wu - Wen

Half step as martial, embodying the principles of courtesy as literary.

So Gongshu Wu is actually Gong Yili, the second uncle of Gong Cheng!