Paper Body Rat Gut

Gu Qingxuan opened his eyes.

The first thing you see is the mottled roof beams, with spider webs hanging from them, swaying slightly in the wind.

The draft was cold and biting, and the thin blanket covering him was useless, causing him to shiver.

"Where is this?"

He looked around blankly. "Wasn't I playing games at home? What am I doing here?"

An ancient town scenic area? Or a period drama film set?

The room was huge, unbelievably huge; the bed he was lying on could sleep five or six people.

It looked like a wealthy family home, but apart from being large, there was nothing around it.

Four walls, two empty tables, a rickety chair leaning against the corner, windows wide open, doors wide open, autumn wind blowing in with fallen leaves, accumulating a thin layer on the ground.

He was lying on a straw mat, covered with a thin quilt, which had several suspicious stains on it and emitted a foul, rancid smell.

Gu Qingxuan tried to move his fingers, but they were as stiff as frozen chicken feet...

What's going on?

He was increasingly bewildered. Why was it decorated like this? Was this a sign of poverty or wealth? Was it cold or hot?

He struggled to sit up, when suddenly a sharp, stabbing pain shot through his chest, as if someone had kicked him and broken his ribs.

I rely on!

Gu Qingxuan frowned deeply. What grudge could possibly warrant such a fuss?!

Just as he was about to unleash a torrent of curses, a woman's voice suddenly came from afar, low and pleading.

"Brothers, please let me take the meat in this time. He's injured, it's really..."

Gu Qingxuan's ears twitched.

"Go away! Leave the food and wine behind. We men didn't eat enough for lunch. Oh, there's even crispy pork. Alright, A'Luo, you know how to be filial to your men now?"

"But Physician Li said that the young master's health is already..."

"If you can't afford to live, then go die! If you say another word, you'll stay and keep us company! We need someone to warm our beds!"

The female voice disappeared.

Instead, there was a burst of laughter.

Son-in-law.

body.

hurt.

Physician Li.

He had a vague feeling that he remembered it.

Just then, another person's memories suddenly flooded into my mind!

"Da Qian... Gu Qingxuan... twenty-three years old... son of General Gu Dingyuan of Wuwei... son-in-law of Xie Tinghe, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan... his mother died young, his father died in battle... his wife had a male concubine... the male concubine didn't like him... and beat him up... the male concubine beat him up..."

Ok? ? ?

After Gu Qingxuan finished merging the memories, he was filled with shock and speechlessness.

Who hit whom?

Are you trying to act like Wu Dalang here?

Have I traveled through time?

And he even dressed up as a spineless live-in son-in-law?

What kind of awful life is he living?!

Just as I was thinking this, footsteps sounded again, the door was pushed open, and a maid of about seventeen or eighteen years old slipped in and closed the door behind her.

Her features were exquisite, with almond-shaped eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a straight nose, but her face was a bit dark.

Gu Qingxuan recognized her; she was Qingluo, the personal maid assigned to the son-in-law by the Marquis's mansion.

After her adoptive father, Gu Dingyuan, died in battle, Xie Tinghe, who already looked down on the original owner of this body, became even more dissolute. Now, her male lovers are just waiting for her, the live-in son-in-law, to die so they can quickly take over.

The attendants he had once sent to him had all been bribed and turned into jailers, and the other maids had also scattered like birds and beasts through connections, leaving only Qingluo.

"Is the son-in-law awake?"

As Qingluo entered the room, she saw that Gu Qingxuan had his eyes open. She quickly walked to the bedside, bent down, and helped him up, saying, "Young Master, please slow down. You have an injury in your chest. Physician Li said you can't exert yourself suddenly."

Gu Qingxuan sat up, the sharp pain in his chest causing him to spasm uncontrollably, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Qingluo saw this and sighed silently. She glanced back at the door and windows like a thief, then quickly pulled a clean cloth belt and a porcelain bottle from her belt.

"Young master, please bear with it."

Her voice was extremely low: "This servant can only disassemble and replace it quickly; it would be terrible if they found out!"

As she spoke, she quickly untied the old cloth strip around his chest with practiced ease. The strip was peeled back layer by layer, revealing a shocking dark blue handprint underneath.

Gu Qingxuan's brow twitched upon seeing this.

—The Heart-Piercing Palm!

He immediately remembered that the slap was delivered by Huo Zhengming, Xie Tinghe's male favorite.

That vile woman used the guise of friendly sparring to secretly unleash a deadly attack, her palm strike penetrating his heart meridian. Although she held back her strength, it wasn't fatal, but it still shattered his heart and lungs, making each breath feel like a knife cutting into him.

It's worse than death, the pain is unbearable!

Qingluo quickly opened the jar of ointment, scooped out the last bit of herbs with her fingertips, spread them evenly on the new cloth strip, and then carefully applied it to the palm print on Gu Qingxuan's chest.

The moment the ointment was applied to his skin, Gu Qingxuan felt a burning sensation, as if someone were pressing a branding iron onto his wound, causing him to groan in pain.

"It'll be here soon."

Qingluo's fingers flew, wrapping the new cloth strip tightly around herself, with just the right amount of pressure to secure the ointment without making it feel too tight.

After tying the last knot, she quickly rolled the old cloth strip into a ball and stuffed it back into her belt to prevent the smell from spreading.

After doing all this, he carefully glanced back and, seeing that he hadn't disturbed the few attendants who were drinking and eating meat, breathed a sigh of relief.

"This servant's monthly salary is too low..."

Her voice lowered: "The ointment prescribed by Physician Li costs two taels of silver for a small jar. This servant can only... this is all I can do..."

Two taels of silver. That was her monthly allowance as a lowly maid.

Looking at her self-reproachful expression, Gu Qingxuan didn't know whether to call her kind or foolish.

He has almost figured things out now.

This is Luoyang, the eastern capital, in the west courtyard of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion. He is currently living in the main house, but his treatment is worse than that of a servant.

—They beat him up, refused to give him medical treatment, and left him in excruciating pain, not to the point of death.

— Bring him food, but deliberately steal the wine and meat, leaving him only plain rice and pickled vegetables to keep him alive.

—They put him in a large room, but the doors and windows were wide open, letting in a cold draft. He was too injured to move and could only endure it.

All of this was designed to force the original owner of this body to commit suicide!

The reason for this lies with the original owner's father, Gu Dingyuan, the former Marquis of Suning and General of Wuwei.

Gu Dingyuan was a renowned general who had fought in many battles and guarded the northern frontier. He had been stationed in Youzhou for more than 20 years, resisting barbarians and defeating powerful enemies. He commanded tens of thousands of iron cavalry in Youzhou and had countless trusted deputy generals and battalion commanders under his command. He was highly respected on the frontier!

How many of his former subordinates would such a person have? Generals who came from the Youzhou Iron Cavalry are now scattered throughout the Daqian Army, from border towns to the capital garrison, and at least one or two tenths of them are soldiers he led.

These people will absolutely not allow Gu Dingyuan's son to be killed!

Suicide is acceptable. If Gu Qingxuan doesn't want to live anymore, no one can stop him.

But if anyone dares to kill him, and word gets out, that's a different story.

Therefore, Xie Tinghe dared not, nor did those male concubines. They could only force them.

Let the cold wind blow, let the pain endure, let the humiliation weigh on him, until he can no longer bear the humiliation and takes his own life.

Once Gu Qingxuan dies, everything in the West Courtyard will be restored to normal. The doors and windows will be closed, the bedding will be replaced, and wine and meat will be served. The physician in the manor will issue a medical record stating that the injury is "too serious to be cured." The Marquis's manor will give the only son of the Marquis of Suning a dignified funeral. Xie Tinghe will have a good cry. Everything will be accounted for, and the old subordinates of Youzhou will find no reason to retaliate.

In fact, if Gu Qingxuan were a "tiger cub," things wouldn't be in this situation now.

At worst, we can get a divorce.

But he just happens to be a "son of a bitch," so he can be bullied by everyone without feeling any pressure.

Fang Shiyi, the greatest fortune teller in the world, once predicted his fate: a paper body with the courage of a rat, and the life of a frozen dog.

— As weak as paper, as timid as a mouse, as cold as a frozen dog.

Enraged, Gu Dingyuan killed Lou Guandao with his spear, forcing Fang Shiyi to flee.

But in hindsight, he was right...

The original owner was a weak, timid, cowardly, and submissive coward who could be beaten and scolded at will.

Everyone looks down on you, and you're such a damn disappointment!

Gu Qingxuan simply couldn't understand: "Being physically weak is one thing, that's innate, but what are you afraid of? Your father is a first-rank military marquis, a border general! How am I supposed to wash my hands of this, letting a bunch of adulterers and harlots shit on my face? Even a little rumor could at least save your life, right? You're going to be a coward until you die! Damn it!!"

After Gu Qingxuan finished merging the memories, he felt his head buzzing.

They played a winning hand terribly.

The west wing is now completely under control, and there's no way to get out.

Everyone in the courtyard wanted him dead, but only this kind-hearted little maid was still risking her life to help him...

Ugh.

Since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it. Luckily, I have no ties over there. My first priority is to figure out how to survive!

Gu Qingxuan's stomach growled again.

Qingluo looked up and forced a smile: "Young master, please eat first."

She opened the food box; the first layer contained a bowl of white rice and a few thinly sliced ​​pickled vegetables.

The second floor was empty; the place where vegetables should have been placed was completely bare.

Qingluo took out the rice bowl and placed it steadily. Then, she reached into the lining of her waistband and pulled out several pieces of dried meat, wrapped in oil paper and still warm from her body.

She stuffed the dried meat into Gu Qingxuan's hand and urged him in a low voice, "Eat quickly."

A cold wind swept through the hall, causing the stray hairs at Qingluo's temples to flutter.

She knelt on the floor beside the bed, looking at Gu Qingxuan expectantly, her posture ramrod straight, like a blade of grass that had been bent by the wind and then bounced back.

Gu Qingxuan looked at the little maid, sighed inwardly, and swallowed it quickly without any hesitation.

It wasn't that he was impatient, but that if those followers saw it, Qingluo's fate would be terrible!

He endured the sharp pain in his chest, picked up his rice bowl, and began to eat.

Seeing this, Qingluo breathed a sigh of relief. In the morning, the young master's eyes had lost their light, and he was like a walking corpse. She had to feed him to make him swallow. Now that he knew how to eat, it meant that he no longer had the will to die.

A sweet smile appeared on Qingluo's face.

Gu Qingxuan ate while trying to figure out a way to escape, and the more he thought about it, the more troublesome it seemed.

From my memories, I know that something is very wrong with this world.

The history before the Eastern Han Dynasty was largely the same; the problem arose at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

When Zhang Jiao shouted, "The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise," the Azure Heaven truly "died"—a huge crack suddenly appeared in the sky, running east to west, like an eye looking down upon the earth.

People at the time called it the "Eye of Heaven".

From the moment that eye appeared, the world's trajectory went astray.

It seemed to connect to a paradise on earth, where "extraterrestrial treasures" would occasionally fall into the land of China through its eyes. These treasures were of all kinds.

Miraculous elixirs, secret martial arts manuals, and divine weapons—each has endless uses.

Martial arts flourished as a result, and "true qi" began to appear in the human world.

After thousands of years of evolution, martial arts today have moved from the acquired physical training and cultivation of qi to a higher level of "spirit refinement," entering the innate realm.

A master of innate martial arts, also known as a grandmaster, can shatter city walls with his fists and split rivers with his palms. He possesses a powerful aura that makes him impervious to all evil and can repel thousands of troops!

The group of attendants and guards outside the door were certainly not innate, but they were already at the fifth level of acquired realm. They could injure people with flying flowers and falling leaves. As for the original owner of this body... he was physically weak and had extremely poor talent. After more than ten years of hard training, he was still only at the first level of acquired realm. His internal energy was pitifully thin, and he had no chance of winning if he broke through head-on!

This is not finished.

Three years ago, the "Eye of Heaven" expanded further, and even more powerful extraterrestrial treasures began to descend upon the world.

Plants grew wildly, animals began to develop spiritual abilities, and martial arts seemed to have the potential to advance further.

In just three years, a fourth realm, the Profound Realm, has emerged above the third realm, the Innate Realm!

As the name suggests, martial arts are profound and involve the connection between heaven and man, allowing one to draw upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth to attack enemies!

Gu Dingyuan died during the time of the cataclysmic change in the heavens and earth, shot and killed by the Northern Abyss general with the extraterrestrial treasure, the Heaven-Shaking Bow.

Luoyang, the eastern capital, is the capital region of the Great Qian Dynasty and has countless talented people. Logically speaking, given this background of military power, someone should be able to understand the original owner's situation.

But... no one came to save him...

That's intriguing.

Gu Qingxuan's mind raced, and he quickly figured out the reason.

Although Gu Dingyuan was the commander of the Youzhou Iron Cavalry, he had died in battle in the northern desert. Now, the one who succeeded him was Xie Jiantang, the Marquis of Dingyuan!

It's certainly not worth offending a living person for the sake of a dead one.

If this had happened in Youzhou, the soldiers and civilians would have been grateful to the general for protecting the land, and this situation certainly wouldn't have occurred.

But this is the Eastern Capital. Those former subordinates who have been promoted to the capital naturally know how to be pragmatic. They wouldn't risk making an enemy of the Marquis of Dingyuan over a good-for-nothing...

This means that even if he sends a message, there is no guarantee that anyone will come to his rescue.

On the contrary, they might tip off others, attracting even harsher targeting and completely severing ties.

The most troublesome thing is that the former number one divine physiognomist has now transformed into the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

His prediction will surely come true!

If Gu Qingxuan is alive and doing well, that would be a slap in the face to him!

"hiss……"

Gu Qingxuan frowned, feeling a bit unable to eat anymore.

We lack the strength ourselves, and asking for help is futile...

This is a dead end!

Disgust flashed in his eyes: "Is the only way to survive to swallow your pride? That's utterly disgusting! I made indie games precisely because I'd had enough of this, and you're still playing this game? Well—"

Just as he thought of this, a phantom ancient mirror suddenly appeared on his retina.

It's exactly the same as the authentication tool he designed for his own game!

[The Mysterious Mirror of Mountains and Seas is now open...]

[Myriad phenomena are displayed in the mirror of mountains and seas, and the true forms of treasures are clearly revealed.]

[I can identify all miraculous medicines and name even the galaxies beyond the heavens.]

"—You came at the perfect time, I fucking love you!!"