Chapter 9: Gu Biziqing

Gu Buziqing quickly swallowed the cry for help that was about to escape her lips, nervously watching as the three individuals concealed themselves in different bushes.

Zhao Wuxu felt somewhat uneasy; it seemed that this Gu Buziqing before him was not a mere charlatan, as he had actually discerned some clues. He needed to send him away quickly, otherwise, if he were to figure something out, it would be quite troublesome

The black bear staggered forward a few steps before finally collapsing to the ground with a dull thud. Only then did three young riders emerge from the bushes, namely Zhao Wuxu and his two deputies.

Thank you, young gentleman. If it were not for your rescue, the consequences would be unimaginable. The traveler expressed his gratitude while pouring water into his mouth, his accent clearly indicating that he was not from Jin, but rather from Song.

The appearance of a young gentleman is inherently invaluable, and in the future, he may become a regional lord, yet...

Gu Biziqing was lying on a locust tree, his clothes in tatters from being snagged by branches while fleeing. The exquisite Lu Gaowen embroidery he had purchased in Taoyi had now turned into rags. The majestic Chu-style high crown on his head had vanished without a trace, and he had lost one of his shoes, looking utterly disheveled.

Zhao Wuxu had also struggled at the bottom in his previous life, having encountered many con artists in the world. He laughed dismissively and said, "Since you are so adept at calculating people's fates and destinies, how is it that you cannot determine which path is the right one to take, nor foresee the calamity of bloodshed that awaits today"

Sir, this beast has already been shot dead by us, you may come down now

Strange things, strange things indeed... Gu Buzhiqing alternated between exclaiming in wonder and frowning deeply, appearing to take the matter quite seriously.

Zhao Wuxu became alert: "Sir, you are not a local? This is the territory of the Zhao family, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter. How did you manage to sneak in here?"

Puff, puff, puff, the enormous body of the black bear is undoubtedly an easy target, all three arrows hit... However, the skill level of the archers is clearly uneven, with two of the arrows merely scratching the bear, while only the arrow shot by the leading boy struck a vital spot

One night, King Wen of Zhou dreamed of a bear with wings flying into his embrace. The next day, he went hunting in Zhouyuan, and his diviners interpreted the dream, saying, "What you have caught is neither a dragon nor a fish, neither a tiger nor a bear." Thus, he encountered Jiang Taigong, who was fishing with a straight hook by the banks of the Wei River.

Gu Bizi Qing furrowed his brows and muttered a series of elegant words from Chengzhou, when suddenly! He excitedly slapped his thigh

As expected of a professional, Gu Buziqing truly pulled out a few divination sticks from that tattered sleeve and performed a divination on the spot

Yu Xi and Mu Xia were very excited; it was their first time hunting such a large game. Zhao Wuxu, however, did not dare to be careless. He moved to a safe distance and, disregarding the damage to the valuable bear skin, drew his bow again and shot a few more arrows at the corpse of the black bear. Only when it stopped twitching did he approach the locust tree, which had been completely stripped of its bark and was already swaying precariously.

He glanced at the disheveled traveler sprawled awkwardly over the tree, not far away was a completely destroyed carriage, with the horses having bolted and gone missing. The black bear, disturbed from its winter slumber, was filled with a belly full of morning anger, and the consequences were quite severe

However, he could not afford to feel heartache, as the crisis beneath the tree had not yet passed. A massive black bear was huffing and puffing, roaring loudly. It gnawed at the trunk with its sharp teeth while incessantly slapping and scratching with its enormous paws. After a while, it stood upright to nearly one and a half meters tall, with a prominent crescent-shaped white patch on its chest, and its powerful paws clutched the trunk, shaking it with all its might.

The traveler, not knowing how long he had been pressured by the black bear, felt both thirsty and exhausted. Upon hearing those words, he let out a sigh of relief, and as soon as he released his grip, he fell directly from the tree and instantly lost consciousness

Gu Buziqing was aware that his behavior was somewhat impolite, but upon seeing the extraordinary appearance of the young man, he felt an irresistible urge and disregarded the matter.

Zhao Wuxu looked at the massive body of the fallen black bear and couldn't help but exclaim his luck; if this volley could not take it down, the three of them would have no choice but to flee for their lives, leaving the unfortunate creature in the tree to fend for itself.

Sir, you have merely been startled and have sustained some abrasions; there is no serious harm.

To be frank, I am a renowned minister of the State of Song. Observing the unique and intriguing features of your countenance, I kindly ask for your understanding. May I request you to extend your palm for my examination

At this point, he suddenly froze. A fortune teller? Could it be that guy recorded in the historical texts, the one who spoke highly of himself in front of my father Zhao Yang?

Thus, Zhao Wuxu's thoughts turned rapidly, and he donned a harmless smile, extending his hand and allowing Gu Buziqing to examine it.

He, due to his professional habits, involuntarily reached out to grasp the young man's hand, wanting to examine the lines on his palm

I see, then the young man will respectfully comply.

Cough cough cough ... ... Soon, the traveler was startled awake by the choking sensation, looking around in confusion

Gu Biziqing could only tightly hold onto the branch, with one hand gripping the sword, constantly threatening the black bear: "Thief! Get away, quickly get away."

"By the way, call someone in to carry this big fellow away; tonight we can enjoy stewed bear paw." Thinking of the rare delicacy from his previous life, Zhao Wuxu couldn't help but feel his appetite whet.

Gu Buziqing let out a sigh of relief, but was still worried about the three young men. After a whole year of nurturing, the black bear's paw was particularly plump at this time of year, yet its thick skin and flesh armor made it difficult for ordinary arrows to kill it.

A strange man in his thirties grabbed Zhao Wuxu's hand, causing her to shiver with disgust. She quickly withdrew her hand and revealed the sharp short sword at her waist, saying, "Sir, what do you intend to do?"

... ...

At that moment, he suddenly saw three fully armed young riders in the distance, dismounting and quietly approaching. The one in the lead even made a gesture to him to be silent.

The black bear, in pain and increasingly enraged, abandoned its pursuit of forcing Gu Buziqing down from the tree and instead turned to seek out the humans who had harmed it

Before Gu Bizi Qing left, Zhao Wuxu half-jokingly asked him: "Sir, I am in pursuit of a prey; can you determine the direction in which that creature is heading?"

The black bear under the tree had blood-red eyes, consumed by rage, and was unaware that three little yellow sparrows had circled around behind it. The young men drew their bows and arrows, shooting three arrows from three different directions.

At this point, Gu Buziqing paused, for he noticed that the young man before him had a very unique appearance: the youth had a high and straight nose, with slightly sunken eye sockets, clearly indicating some part of his ancestry was of the Di people. Moreover, his eyes were dark and bright, resembling a whirlpool, drawing in his gaze.

Gu Buziqing is very confident in his divination skills; he believes there must be some mistake somewhere. However, this is not the time to think about such things, as the black bear under the tree is intent on tearing him apart!

However

"Ahem, it is a long story. I am Gu Buziqing, a senior official in the State of Song. This morning, I left the post station to visit the grave of Jie Zuitui in Mian. On my way back, I lost my way and accidentally wandered into this forest, inadvertently waking that beast. It smashed my carriage with a single slap and chased me all the way here" Gu Buziqing said, still feeling a lingering fear.

A sword can be thrown away, but a person who eats cannot be discarded

It is indeed the image of King Wen obtaining the flying bear

This morning, I consulted the oracle. Wasn't it an extremely auspicious sign? It was the symbol of 'seeing the dragon in the field,' which should indicate that I would encounter a person of great fortune! How could such a thing happen

Sir, sir? What can be discerned from this?

In just a short while, the three hunters in the bushes had completed their second round of loading. At the shout of the leading youth, another volley was fired. This time, in the frontal assault on the black bear, they were all fortunate enough to hit vital spots. The black bear was blinded, and the arrow from the leading youth pierced through the thick bear skin and flesh, penetrating into the heart of the black bear

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that after Gu Buziqing wiped away the dirt and blood from her face, she indeed bore a resemblance to a distinguished figure with an ethereal and otherworldly demeanor

This not very thick locust tree is already covered in scars, with the bark almost gnawed away in a circle. With each strike from the black bear, the locust tree trembles violently.

Gu Biziqing pointed to a deep path in the jungle and said: "If the young gentleman passes through here, he will achieve great fortune, a fortune beyond words!"

The black bear paused briefly before charging forward with a force that seemed capable of toppling mountains and seas. Its fur stood on end, a sign of its frenzy and anger, and its footsteps shook the ground with a resounding thud, as it was about to rush towards the three boys.

Yet this fate was abruptly severed not long ago. In terms of such a destiny, since I began studying the I Ching at the age of ten, I have observed the facial features of thousands of people across the world, yet I have never encountered such a case... The poem states: "Following the current, the path is obstructed and long; following the current, the path is obstructed yet ascendant..." As for the future of the young gentleman, I regret to say that I am incapable and truly unable to predict.

Zhao Wuxu was utterly speechless at this foolishness, and could only pick up a bag and pour cold water on his face. Yu Xi and Mu Xia were discussing how to drag the massive black bear out of the woods

However, it was all in vain. In a moment of carelessness, his sword slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. With his only weapon lost, Gu Buzikang now felt as if he wished for death.

He chuckled and said: "Sir, you are a distinguished guest of the Zhao family; it is already a neglect to have startled you. Xi, use your horse to escort the sir out."

Clever! Gu Buzhiqing silently praised them in her heart