"...Is this Third Brother’s favorite?"

Gu Baoshu was somewhat bewildered by Qin Yuan’s smile and, after munching away, had completely forgotten about the Old Madam Gu’s little dog that never got its leg broken.

"Isn’t it just? Sixteen told me. Every time I had someone buy it, your Third Brother loved it. Even if he didn’t say it, I could tell."

Gu Baoshu couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Laughing leads to disaster, she suddenly swallowed the apricot pit, followed by a thundering cough.

Hong Ye quickly brought over some tea.

Sister Lan was anxious and patted her back.

Cui Ming looked at her with a complex expression.

Gu Baoshu coughed until tears came out, fortunately, she was fine.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Yuan scolded, "Why aren’t you more careful when eating? If I had known, I wouldn’t have told you."

"Good Third Sister-in-law, just keep talking, I love to listen."

Disregarding her hurt throat, Gu Baoshu hastily pleaded.

Things about Third Brother aren’t easily heard, she couldn’t miss out.

Outside the carriage, Gu Shiba, as told, bound the hunter’s limbs tightly before coming to report, "Madam, can we depart now?"

"Let’s go," Qin Yuan instructed.

The hunter secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He was head-down, belly pressed against the saddle, hands and feet bound, with a smelly, dirty rag stuffed in his mouth.

It was truly tormenting.

He couldn’t wait to arrive at the city clinic.

An hour later, the carriage finally reached the city gate, where the soldiers couldn’t enter the city, so they stopped.

The leading junior officer came over to bid farewell.

Qin Yuan instructed, "Today, I troubled you all for escorting us, and seeing that mealtime has passed without us bringing any food, I have to ask you to find a place for a quick meal and tea."

Cui Ming then handed a pouch of silver to the junior officer.

The junior officer blushed and declined, "How can I accept the Madam’s silver? This...this won’t do..."

Cui Ming insisted, "It’s fine, just take it. The temple can’t provide meals for so many people, and you’ve worked hard all day. Taking some tea and having a rest is essential, this silver may look like much, but spread across so many heads, how much food can it buy?"

Only then did the junior officer accept it, "Thank you, Madam."

They turned their horses and headed toward the Great Camp outside the city.

The Gu Family’s carriage wasn’t in a rush to leave, instead, they waited by the city gate for a while for Gu Shiliu and the others.

About half an hour later, Gu Shiliu came with another group of guards, first going to Qin Yuan’s carriage for a chat before approaching Gu Shiba and, with much meaning, glanced at the big man on the saddle, laughing, "What, did you pick someone up on the way?"

Gu Shiba replied, "Yeah, the Madam wants to bring him back to the city for medical attention. Squeezing with me is truly uncomfortable."

Gu Shiliu laughed, "We’ve experienced far worse discomfort in the Northern Border. There was that time following the Marquis in pursuit of Yelv Guza, days without shut-eye, killed him crying for his father and mother, retreating to his old lair begging his father for milk."

"Hahaha."

Everyone laughed.

"Sixteenth Brother, we’ve never been on the battlefield with the Marquis, tell us about it."

Gu Shiliu laughed, whistled a tune, and sang a few lines of a desolate, Northern Border flavored ditty.

"This is a ditty we sing in the Northern Border. The Marquis sings well, too. By now, it’s already cold, snow starts falling, not on duty, we sit together gnawing on lamb feet, sipping strong liquor, and singing ditties. It’s quite free, you’d like it if you were there."

Gu Shiba smiled without saying a word.

Gu Shiliu added, "Now, the Madam’s carriage hasn’t entered the city yet, let’s talk more once we enter."

"Alright. Don’t forget." Everyone said.

Gu Shiliu mounted his horse, flicked his whip, striking the hunter’s raised backside, laughing, "Hang in there, don’t roll your eyes, we’ll be there soon."

Gu Shiba said, "I have to re-tie him, don’t want him bouncing so much later and getting hurt."

He then checked the bindings on the hands and feet thoroughly, and feeling uneasy, tightened a strap around the horse’s belly before saying, "Alright, later when we enter the city we’ll give you proper attention, won’t let your leg end up like our Old Madam’s dog’s leg, all crippled."

The hunter was just like that, carried into the city.

The small gate guards recognized the carriage as Dingbei Marquis Mansion’s, and knowing Gu Shiliu, Gu Shiba, and the others, let them pass without asking much.

Upon entering the main road, shops on both sides increased, bustling with noise.

The hunter groaned, indicating he wanted to be let down.

Gu Shiba slapped his backside, laughing, "We’ll find you a good clinic, don’t worry."

The hunter strained to lift his head, staring narrowly at the shop signs lining the street.

"Stop looking, you don’t even know the way."

Gu Shiba tapped his head again.

He’d been head-down so long, his head was heavily congested, that when struck, it buzzed with a sudden darkness before his eyes.

Luckily they entered the city, and when these people put him down, he’d be free.

The hunter could only stoically comfort himself.

But Gu Shiba and the others seemed to forget about getting him medical attention, carrying him straight to the Marquis Mansion.

Into the Marquis Mansion, through the gate and into the outer courtyard.

The accompanying healthy servants and guards all led their horses into the stables.

Only Gu Shiba led his horse, standing in the center of the courtyard, putting his hand to his mouth and letting out a loud whistle, sounding like a torn fabric.

With a crash, a crowd gathered around from all sides.

Only then did the hunter feel something was amiss.

But it was too late.

His feet were suddenly gripped by a pair of large hands like eagle claws, his face smashing onto the blue stone slab.

A wave of acidic pain surged, vision blackened.

Blood flowed into his mouth, a tangy bitter taste.

His nose must be crushed.

The hunter saw stars, struggling to arch his body wanting to rise.

Then he heard Gu Shiliu chuckling:

"Yelv Xianyong, you are truly brave, letting you escape last night should’ve been enough, yet you dare crash into our horse convoy during the day, should I say you’re foolish or bold? Hmm?"

Following this, Gu Shiliu heavily stomped on his leg.

The hunter forcefully pushed out the rag in his mouth with his tongue, but couldn’t break the bindings on his feet and hands.

Gu Shiba idly said beside him, "I’m using the Gu Family Army’s technique, with your hands bound, how do you untie? Don’t bother. Since you came uninvited, stay awhile."

The hunter struggled to turn over, spitting out blood and dirt with a "pfft pfft pfft", finally clearing it before hoarsely saying, "I wondered why you insisted on bringing a mountain wild hunter to a clinic, and thought your Madame was genuinely kind, turns out you mistook the enemy. Nobles are indeed different, capturing a leg-injured hunter with such effort. So many of you, should I say you’re cautious or timid?"

Gu Shiliu laughed, "Capturing you shouldn’t have been such a hassle, but since you insisted on putting on a show, don’t blame our Madame for employing a little strategy to deal with you. This is what we Central Plains People like to call returning the favor. Yelv Xianyong, have you learned?"