A high five to mark the agreement

Lord Liyang said nonchalantly, “You may indeed conquer the world by force, but you cannot govern it by force. The music of Shao and Wu is the orthodox music of China and the music of the superior nation. If you cannot obtain this music, you will never be regarded as rulers who are in accordance with the mandate of heaven.”

Throughout history, those considered the legitimate rulers of China have invariably traced their lineage back to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, recognizing Nuwa and Fuxi as their ancestors. The *Shao* dance, created by Shun, and the *Wu* dance, created by King Wu of Zhou, one promoting civil administration and the other military prowess, represent the most quintessential parts of the Six Dynasties' dances. Thus, they were passed down in Chinese courts and temples for nearly a thousand years until the chaos of the Five Barbarian Invasions and the subsequent division of China into North and South, leading to the demise of these rituals and music. But today, those who win the hearts of the people win the world. Whoever can restore the Han Chinese tradition of governing through clothing, rituals, and music will undoubtedly be the most successful in unifying the world.

Xiao Chang'an scoffed and said, "Even if the Imperial Seal, which is considered the Mandate of Heaven, is lost, it can be recarved. Let alone rites and music." What he said was indeed based on historical facts. But it also showed that he no longer concealed his true, unrestrained personality when facing Lord Liyang.

Lord Liyang sat upright in his chair, raised his hand in a gesture of "please," and said casually, "Then please."

After he spoke, Xiao Chang'an remained silent. He knew the strength of the Northern Dynasty all too well. Regardless of whether those who controlled rites and music would control the world, the Northern Qiang army's performance of the "Breaking the Formation Music" was certainly not easy to deal with. Responding with the "Shao" and "Wu" music was a strategy devised by the talented Zhao Lingying before her death, and it was the best countermeasure that Dayan could come up with.

Shangguan Yuqi remained silent, but Xiao Chang'an was still persistent. He rolled his eyes and asked, "In exchange, could there be other conditions?"

Lord Liyang's answer was simple: "No."

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a sharp light as he stared at Xiao Chang'an. He smiled slightly and said, "Actually, this matter has nothing to do with you, Young Marquis Xiao. Sile can make her own decision. Why do you keep obstructing her?"

Xiao Chang'an angrily said, "How can it not be related to me? She..." He couldn't continue after saying this, because he really had no right to speak on behalf of A Qiu.

In terms of closeness, both her master Gu Yi and her senior brother Xie Tiao had more authority to speak than him.

Lord Liyang said calmly, "If this dance is choreographed, she may be arranged to marry the future king of Dayan, that is, the crown prince. She may also be arranged to go to Beiqiang for a political marriage because of her status as the crown prince's junior sister. But in any case, it will not be your turn, Qingyao Guard. Therefore, whether she agrees to marry me or not is none of your business."

Xiao Chang'an's feelings had never been so bluntly exposed to his face, and he was even told that he would have no chance at all.

His expression changed several times, and he became furious and shouted, "Even if it's not my turn, it certainly won't be you, you old bastard!" As he spoke, he moved to pounce on Lord Liyang.

He had barely moved when he saw a blur before his eyes. A chilling, invisible sword aura blocked his path, abruptly stopping him.

Upon closer inspection, it was Shangguan Yuqi holding a sheathed "Ice Bamboo" in front of him.

Shangguan Yuqi said in a deep voice, "Let Aqiu decide for himself. As the senior said, this matter should not be interfered with by outsiders." After all, she was the head of Feifeng and was relatively calm and rational. She would never allow Xiao Chang'an to fight over a few words and engage in a pointless dispute.

The three people present all looked at A Qiu without prior arrangement.

A-Qiu's face turned pale and then red, and she hesitated, unable to answer.

Having learned of Shangguan Yanxiu's tragic fate, she was determined not to easily commit her life to someone else. But now, reminded by Lord Liyang, she suddenly realized that indeed, her marriage was not her own decision, and she was very likely to end up in one of the two situations Lord Liyang had mentioned, or at least not much better.

Her heart was set on Gu Yi, but at this moment, it seemed like something unattainable and hopeless.

Her master-disciple relationship with Gu Yi was common knowledge, an insurmountable obstacle. Moreover, Gu Yi had never expressed any romantic feelings for her.

What frightens her most is that at this moment, she is gradually forgetting even what Gu Yi looks like.

Yanxiu's words, which sounded like both a curse and a blessing, suddenly echoed in her heart once again.

"You will automatically erase all memories related to love. This is the only way you can ensure that you can survive strongly in this broken world."

She suddenly realized something, almost in a state of panic—

If this is true, she will eventually forget Gu Yi.

Simply because she had once loved him.

Lord Liyang observed that her expression, which had been calm and still, finally softened for a moment.

He spoke in a gentle voice: "If you cannot make a decision now, I will not make things difficult for you. We can still pass on the 'Shao' and 'Wu' pieces. But you must promise me another thing."

A-Qiu asked, "What is it?"

Lord Liyang said, "As I said before, I don't expect you to marry me immediately, but rather after you've finished all your business. But seeing how troubled you are now, I can extend the deadline you agreed to until you've completed everything. Until you've thought it through and are truly willing, you don't have to promise to marry me, but you absolutely cannot promise to anyone else, how about that?"

This condition can be described as extremely lenient. It means that A-Qiu can choose not to marry him in the short term, but she also cannot marry someone else.

Xiao Chang'an interjected, "What if she thinks it through and decides she can't marry you? Your 'Shao' and 'Wu' have already been passed down; can you take them back?"

Lord Liyang spread his hands with an air of nonchalance and said, "I don't think Si Le is such a person who breaks his word. If he is, then I'll admit defeat."

With just this one move, his demeanor had already impressed Shangguan Yuqi. In contrast, Xiao Chang'an's single-minded pursuit of taking advantage of loopholes made him seem far more petty.

The more A-Qiu looked at him, the more familiar she felt with him. Before Xiao Chang'an could object, she immediately said, "That's settled then, I agree!"

Hearing her agree so readily, Xiao Chang'an felt extremely bitter. He was usually eloquent, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He knew A Qiu much earlier than Lord Liyang, but he couldn't match Lord Liyang's demeanor, nor could he pursue A Qiu with the same fervor.

One reason is that he knew that if he pursued her, he would likely be rejected in the same way, just like when A Qiu rejected Lord Liyang earlier.

He could tell that A Qiu's feelings for Gu Yi were unusual, and he also knew that there was almost no possibility between the two of them. Gu Yi was strict, polite, and self-disciplined. If he had such feelings for A Qiu, he would not have taken her as his disciple and announced to the world that she was the successor of the Junior Master.

But he knew that A-Qiu didn't have those feelings for him either. It wasn't like he'd never seen a girl before.

The second reason is that the heavy responsibility of his family and country, as well as his personal ambition, made it impossible for him to promise Ah Qiu a future.

His future wife might be a lady from a prestigious family, or perhaps the daughter of a military general. In short, she would be someone who could assist him in achieving his imperial ambitions. A Qiu is not without power behind her; her background is certainly not weak. If the marriage alliance is solely for the sake of strength, marrying A Qiu would be the most advantageous option. However, it is clear that A Qiu is not a lady in the traditional sense, nor is she the kind of heir who, like Pei Yu, is born with a sense of responsibility towards her family.

He sensed that worldly fame and power were ultimately fleeting to her; she would not fix her foundation in the home or the harem, nor would she be willing to dedicate her entire life to managing them.

Therefore, in the battle for supremacy, they might briefly become comrades-in-arms, or fierce enemies. But ultimately, none of this could bind her; she would not remain here forever. And he, on the other hand, was destined to embrace all of this forever.

His family had raised him with the intention of cultivating him into a brilliant and ambitious politician who would become a wielder of power.

Lord Liyang smiled and said, "That's excellent." He naturally extended a hand as clear as jade, and A Qiu extended her left hand in return, lightly tapping it against his. The deal was done.

Xiao Chang'an could no longer tolerate it and shouted, "Now that the agreement has been made, where are the Shao and Wu music pieces?"

Lord Liyang was visibly in a very good mood. He rose leisurely and said, "Come with me."

Before them was a huge hole, about ten feet square, which seemed to lead to endless darkness.

Lord Liyang smiled and said, "The three of you who wish to learn 'Shao' and 'Wu' can come in with me."

Having said that, he took the lead and began to descend the steps.

Without hesitation, A Qiu followed him downstairs.

After a moment's hesitation, Shangguan Yuqi took the ice bamboo in her hand and followed suit.

In fact, the Liyang Divine Palace is strange in every way. The Liyang Divine Lord is neither human nor non-human. According to her consistent principle that a gentleman does not stay in the shadows and must be wary of being harmed by hidden arrows, she should not set foot in places that are not her business.

But she felt she couldn't just abandon A-Qiu like that, after all, he had carried her out of the fire in the Yeting Palace, and the two had been through life and death together.

Xiao Chang'an was the most hesitant. He was the most outstanding scion of the Xiao family of the Northern Dynasty, a man of noble birth, more precious than royalty. The identity of the Divine Lord of Liyang before him was unclear. In his view, this man had been lurking in the palace for a long time and seemed to have a thorough understanding of the court's situation. Such a person, so knowledgeable about current affairs, could not possibly be some reclusive, transcendent deity.

But he felt unwilling to leave with A-Qiu like this. So he gritted his teeth and followed the three of them down the mountain.

At the same time, he secretly held a pair of blue bee needles in his hand.

He had already tried it; what this Lord Liyang used did not seem to be martial arts, but its profound mystery and the realm of shifting space were far beyond his comprehension.

Otherwise, he would have already taken action to subdue this person and force him to divulge the "Shao" and "Wu" texts, which would have been much easier and faster than letting him brazenly make demands of A Qiu.

When he met Lord Liyang in front of the Heavenly Prison, he shot out a blue bee needle with his flute, which was a test.

But the result was almost shocking to him, and he never dared to act rashly again.

Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea to join forces with Shangguan Yuqi and A Qiu to directly capture this Lord Liyang.

However, Ah Qiu seemed completely unprepared for this option, and Shangguan Yuqi, being upright and honest, probably couldn't agree with it either.

As A Qiu followed closely behind Lord Liyang, he asked, "Where is this place? Where are we going?"

Lord Liyang seemed extremely patient with her, saying, "This is the tunnel leading to the imperial tombs of previous dynasties. The place we are going to is the 'Wuyang Mausoleum' among the imperial tombs of the previous dynasty."

He added, "The reason I occupied the ruined palace in Liyang was because I discovered that there were many secret passages leading to various palaces and parts of the palace. Controlling this place was almost equivalent to controlling most of the secrets of Jianzhang Palace."

He spoke these words in a way that was so focused that they were not heard by Shangguan Yuqi and Xiao Chang'an behind him.