Outside the Liu family manor, there was a long line of people at the gate all waiting to meet the old general and form ties with him.
The winds of the imperial capital had changed, the dominant forces and clans in the capital had all become docile.
Gu Shang now had all the powers in his hands, if they wanted to secure themselves a good life and climb the social hierarchy they had to join Gu Shang, But to form a relationship with him, they needed the Liu family to be that bridge.
They knew they had no qualification to personally meet the prince.
Though the Liu family was a second rate family, it won't be long before they became a leading clan, all they needed now was time.
With Gu Shang backing them, it would be smooth sailing for them, so now was the time to build their relationship with them.
In the manor, the old general and his clansmen were continuously receiving the guest who came to form a relationship with them.
They were also aware that if their family was to rise, they needed such relationships so they didn't turn them away.
Gu Shang and his entourage arrived at the Liu manor to see the lively atmosphere.
All the people outside went of their knees the moment they saw him.
Gu Shang got down from his dragon horse and entered the manor.
The inside was quite lively and colourful.
"Grand General, welcome!" Liu Tan said excitedly drawing everyone's attention to Gu Shang.
All the people present went on their knees the moment they saw him, "Welcome Grand General" they exclaimed loudly.
"Rise..... old master the Liu family do not have to bend their knees everytime you see me.
We are family, aren't we?" Gu Shang said with a smile.
What brings the prince of the north here?
The old master asked respectfully.
"I'm here to take Liu Feifei home" Gu Shang simply replied with a smile.
Since he married Liu Feifei, he had never had a place to go, so was forced to live with his in-laws.
But now he had his own manor so it was about time he took his wife home.
"Of course, of course brother in law. It is only right you take your wife home.
I'll go and get her for you" Liu Tan said whiles patting his chest.
"Gu Shang, Ah I mean prince of the north, Liu Feifei is not here so you'll have to wait a little longer" The old general said.
"Old master, you can still call me by my name. You are like a grandfather to me so I'll not have you treat me like your superior"
The old master tried to defend himself, but in the end, he had to give in on Gu Shang's persuasion.
Gu Shang then took a seat and had tea with the Liu family members.
Gu Shang didn't hold any grudges against the Liu family, he rather felt indebted to them.
Over the years that he spent in the Liu family manor, they didn't mistreat him or abuse him like the Gu Clan. Of course there was the occasional jeering from Liu Tan for being a man that depended on his wife to survive and the fact that he was a living proof of the Gu Clan dishonesty, everything else was not so bad.
On the other hand the Liu family members were grateful that Gu Shang held no grudges against them. He had told them of his identity three days ago but they didn't believe him and had even mocked him.
They felt ashamed of themselves but were also glad that Gu Shang was the one the Gu Clan sent instead of Gu Lin.
They never thought that a day would come when the source of their shame would become the source of their pride.
Gu Shang wasn't really telling lies three days ago.
As they were merrily chatting, Liu Feifei entered the Hall clad in a golden armor.
She looked so beautiful and courageous.
Liu Feifei on the other hands looked at Gu Shang with complicated emotions. She really didn't know how to treat the current Gu Shang.
Gu Shang put his tea cup down and smiled at Liu Feifei.
"You must have be a very busy woman now commander, but am here to take you home.
I hope you don't have any problem with that? Gu Shang said still smiling
Take me home? But I am home? Liu Feifei replied feeling a bit confused, wasn't she home?
"Cough Cough, Your husband is here to take you to his new manor, so that you can start your own family.
Surely you don't expect Gu Shang to continue living with us, do you? The old man said as he looked at his grand daughter in amusement.
"Wait...Gu Shang, you have a manor here?" Liu Feifei asked.
The old man frowned, what kind of stupid question was this granddaughter of his asking.
What kind of joke was that? If the Grand General of the empire did not have a manor, Who else would?
He probably had dozens of manors across the empire.
"Yes, I do have a home for us?" Gu Shang answered.
"But do I really have to move in with you?" Liu Feifei asked biting her lips
"Ohooo, What can kind of question is that?" The old man had completely lost it.
"Hmph, Go and pack all her things and send it to the grand general's manor.
As for you.." the old man glanced at Liu Feifei.
You have to leave with your husband now, we would send your things over later you are no longer welcomed here" the old man said leaving no room for arguments.
If he were to leave this decision to his grand daughter, he didn't know what would happen.
Liu Feifei knew she was no longer needed here.
"Sigh can you give me sometime to get ready"
Gu Shang nodded.
Liu Feifei strolled around the manor. This was the only home she had ever known, but now she had to move out.
She felt melancholic.
After sometime, she returned to the main hall.
She was curious to find out if Gu Shang had changed.
In the three days she spent with Gu Shang, he was the same man she remembered seven year ago.
But the Gu Shang from yesterday was completely different from the one she knew.
When they left the Manor, A beautiful carriage was brought forth for Liu Feifei to board.
Gu Shang opened the carriage door and stretched his hands towards her.
Liu Feifei looked at the carriage expressionlessly without moving.
"I'm not riding in that" she shook her head and approached her horse.
"I'll take this" she said as she hoped on her horse.
"What are you standing there for?"
Gu Shang smiled and shook his head before climbing his dragon horse.
He knew Liu Feifei had always been a like this why did he even bother.
If not for her keeping the graceful bearing of a woman from a noble family, one would think she's a commoner.
Gu Shang and Liu Feifei rode their horses side by side as they headed for the Rising Phoenix Manor.
.....
In the Han prefecture, a young man in chains with blood all over his body was running through a dense forest as soldiers chased him.
"Stop there you sinner! You can never escape us!"
"When we catch you we are going to skin you alive"
The young man didn't listen to the soldiers and continued to run with all his might.
He had gotten a headstart ahead of the guards, but he was only at the second stage of the Elementary Gathering realm.
The soldiers were definitely higher than him since the caught up to him so fast.
He kept running as wushing sounds of arrows flew past him, one of the arrows had even pierced his back but he persisted and kept running.
After running for over an hour, he reached the edge of a long Clif which was high up in the sky. A fall from here would mean death.
It was all over, he was going to die without getting his revenge.
He stood at the edge of the clif in dispair.
The soldiers arrived and surrounded him, they were soldiers of the capital guards.
"You sure are a stubborn one, you almost escaped us" the leader of the guards said.
"Give up already, your clan has been destroyed, there's nowhere to run again.
Your uncle committed several crimes, it's only right that the surviving members of the Zhang Clan pay for his sins by working in the mines for the rest of their lives.
Running from us is futile, just give up already" the leader tried to pursuade him.
The young man couldn't help but laugh out loudly.
"The Grand General exterminated my clan because we stood against him.
Crimes of my uncle? What crime did he commit? He wasn't a good person, but he was no evil person.
As long as I live and breath, then the Grand General shall know no peace, I'll hunt him even if am a ghost"
The young man jumped of the clif after saying that.
As he was falling to his death he begged the heavens to give him the power to avenge his clan in another life.
He closed his eyes with tears streaming out as he fell into a large river.
A few days later, a fisherman was fishing when he found Zhang Hans body.
Zhang Han was still alive but unconscious, the fisherman took him home and treated his wounds caused by the arrows.
After remaining unconscious for three days, he finally regained consciousness on the third day.
The shocking thing was that all his injuries had been completely healed in just three days.
"Where am I?" The last thing he remembered was being betrayed by his gang.
The men he trusted framed and leaked his whereabouts to the police.
The last thing he remembered was being raided by a Swat team. He was shot in the head and should have died, so why was he here?
He sat on the bed and looked around, he seemed to be a tattered house,
The strange thing was that everything or item here was so ancient.
He looked at the bronze mirror on the wall which was not very clear, but what he saw shocked him.
He was in the body of a young boy who seemed not older than 16 years old.
He screamed and jumped back, what was going on? Where was this place?
But before he could say anything, he held his head and screamed in pain.
Memories that did not belong to him appeared in his head. It was like he had lived the whole life of this Zhang Han.
He finally understood, he had transmigrated to another world and taken the body of this Zhang Han.
Just then, he heard a voice in his head.
"Welcome host, Shall we begin?!