He misses her very much.

Princess Wansui staggered a few steps before regaining her balance. Her deep emerald green eyes first looked at Shangguan Yuqi, then at A Qiu, flashing with a fierce light several times before she finally said angrily, "I lost!"

Then, pointing at A-Qiu, he said, "You cheated, woman! You deliberately ruined the music of the kuju!"

Only then did those present realize that Ah Qiu's final soft shout had played a crucial role in the situation. But in all fairness, it couldn't be said that she had broken the rules, because no one had stipulated that cheering was forbidden.

Ah Qiu smiled and said, "Then I'm relying on my own skills. Why don't you give it a try?"

Princess Wansui understood that Shangguan Yuqi had defeated her because of her superb swordsmanship, while the woman before her could perfectly interrupt the melody of the bilizhu, demonstrating her profound skill in wind instruments.

Although A Qiu had only studied the Qiang flute with Wan Qiqing for three months, she was selected into the Music Bureau based on her skill in playing the Qiang flute. Although she was not as skilled as her master was back then, she still had her own insights.

Princess Wansui had indeed been skilled in music and dance since childhood, but she admitted that she did not have such talent. She looked at the female official of the Southern Dynasty's Music Bureau with new respect and said in a deep voice, "Now that I have lost, does that mean I have to go into the Music Bureau with you?"

Everyone in the inn breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, especially the innkeeper. He thought to himself that this troublesome hot potato had finally been sent away; otherwise, with her causing trouble every three days and a major disturbance every five, if someone had actually died, he would have been in deep trouble.

An Daoling originally sent A Qiu here so that she could incorporate this Kucha music and dance troupe into the Music Bureau. Only if she could do so could she have successfully absorbed Li Chongyu's great gift.

But A-Qiu and Shangguan Yuqi exchanged a glance, seeing a tacit understanding in each other's eyes.

A Qiu smiled and said, "I'm sorry, young lady, but judging from this assessment, I'm afraid your dancing skills are not good enough to enter the Music Bureau of my Dayan Dynasty. After all, the Music Bureau is the place where the first-class musical talents of our dynasty gather."

Upon hearing this, Princess Wansui's eyes flashed with anger at being slighted, yet she couldn't help but feel indignant.

The woman before her, whom she could understand, was merely a minor official in the Music Bureau, yet she was already proficient in Hu folk music and possessed such beauty. As for the woman who called herself a guard, although her sword dance incorporated martial arts techniques, it was already at the level of a master.

If any two people from the Southern Dynasty were of this caliber, then my skills, honed since childhood, might indeed be insufficient.

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, A Qiu continued, "But I think your orchestra is quite unique. If you could be included in the Music Bureau, it would be a great way to incorporate the best of everyone's talents. I will go back and speak well of you to my superiors, and try my best to get you included in the Music Bureau. But I am just a nobody, and my words may not carry weight. If it doesn't work out, we will have to wait until the Marquis of Guannei comes to the capital to make a decision. At that time, you can decide for yourself whether to stay or leave."

Her words served two purposes: firstly, they gave Princess Wansui ample face and the right to choose; secondly, they fully demonstrated her willingness to speak up for her, while also leaving room for maneuver by saying that her words carried little weight and might not be reliable. This allowed her to advance or retreat as she saw fit, leaving no room for error.

However, Princess Wansui's original goal was to see the Emperor, but now it has become whether she can enter the Music Bureau. This shift in her focus without her realizing it was the result of Shangguan Yuqi and A Qiu's overwhelming strength.

This is the essence of the saying "ask for an exorbitant price, then negotiate a lower price."

Before Princess Wansui could react, A Qiu gave a slight bow and said with a smile, "Then we'll go back and report." He pulled Shangguan Yuqi and left, leaving the rest of the group staring at each other in disbelief. They felt that they had broadened their horizons today by witnessing the dance competition between the beauties of the two countries.

Once inside the carriage, Shangguan Yuqi, with a solemn expression, spoke first: "Why doesn't Dianle recruit them into the Music Bureau?"

A thought flashed through A Qiu's mind, and he finally replied, "I think her dance moves are quite strange, not like authentic Kucha music and dance. This woman's identity is suspicious."

Shangguan Yuqi was initially surprised, then showed genuine respect and said, "I once heard that Dian Le was selected into the Music Bureau not for her dancing skills, but for her Hu music playing. I thought, how could someone be so young and proficient in both music and dance, and skilled in both Hu and Han music? I never imagined that Dian Le would actually be so proficient in Hu music and dance."

A Qiu felt ashamed. In truth, she knew nothing about Kucha music and dance. She simply sensed the internal energy of some foreign martial art hidden in the woman's movements and postures, thus deducing that the woman was likely a dancer in name only, but an assassin in reality.

Because her second senior brother, Mo Yimingyue, practiced the martial arts of the Hu people. His swirling and coiling movements, especially the final movement where he wrapped his arms around Shangguan Yuqi's waist, felt extremely familiar to her.

However, she certainly couldn't let Shangguan Yuqi know that she was also proficient in martial arts, so she could only vaguely say that her dance skills were questionable.

Shangguan Yuqi said sincerely, "Then I will not hide it from you, Dianle. That Princess Wansai was just pretending to be weak and losing to us."

A Qiu was not someone who had engaged in close combat with Princess Wansui, so she was naturally not as knowledgeable as Shangguan Yuqi. She asked in surprise, "Why did she have to lose to us? If she had won, wouldn't she have been able to see the Emperor as she wished?"

Shangguan Yuqi smiled and said, "But to win against us, she must reveal her true strength, that is, her martial arts style."

A-Qiu agreed, "That would make it even harder for her to enter the palace."

The two stood in silence for a moment, both feeling heavy-hearted.

With the fate of Sikong Zhaozheng, the Grand Commander in charge of palace security, unknown, and a band of musicians, teeming with assassins, arriving at the post station and demanding an audience with the Emperor, anyone would feel an impending storm and heavy pressure. Moreover, Shangguan Yuqi was a newly appointed member of the Eastern Palace Guard, responsible for the very safety of the imperial family.

A-Qiu couldn't help but ask, "In your opinion, Miss, was this music and dance troupe sent by the Marquis of Guannei to assassinate us?"

Shangguan Yuqi glanced at her and said with a wry smile, "It's hard to say."

If nothing unexpected had happened, the Shuofang army that entered the city, along with this music and dance troupe, might have already been captured by the Jianzhang Division, and they wouldn't have been able to cause any trouble.

If the Shuofang army enters the city smoothly, according to the original plan, this music and dance troupe should have performed at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, along with Shangguan Yuqi's Qiankun Dingshi Sword Dance and A Qiu's Baizhu Dance.

No one knows what will happen if this happens.

Having gone through this incident together with A Qiu, Shangguan Yuqi was beginning to regard her as someone she could confide in. She pondered, "When I struck with my sword to block all her movements, I could feel the rebound of her instinctive martial arts energy. Her internal force was quite different from that of the martial arts world in the Central Plains; it followed a spiral pattern."

Ah Qiu listened carefully; this alone made his martial arts different from his second senior brother's. His second senior brother's swordsmanship and movement techniques were both powerful and direct, derived from the whirlwind swordsmanship of the Hu people fighting on horseback, as fierce as the blazing sun and raging sand.

Shangguan Yuqi continued, "I have heard that in the desert beyond the Northern Qiang border, there is a small tribe, but almost everyone is proficient in superior martial arts and skilled in tracking and ambushing. They are called the Hidden Moon Tribe. The greatest characteristic of their martial arts is that their movements are all based on a spiral motion."

A Qiu accurately extracted the essence of Shangguan Yuqi's words: "Northern Qiang?"

Shangguan Yuqi sighed, "I do suspect that Princess Wansui is an assassin from the Hidden Moon Clan, sent by the Northern Qiang people to sabotage the alliance between the Marquis of Guannei and our dynasty. But I cannot rule out the possibility that the Marquis of Guannei deliberately instigated unrest in the capital so that he could reap the benefits."

A Qiu asked in surprise, "The Marquis of Guannei wants to form an alliance with our dynasty?"

Shangguan Yuqi no longer had any intention of hiding it from her, and sighed, "It is said to be an audience with the emperor, but in reality, the Grand Tutor wants to make an agreement with him for the Northern Expedition. The Grand Tutor's trip across the Yangtze River this time, going alone to persuade the Marquis of Guannei, is precisely to convince him to put aside his personal grudges. I only hope that the Grand Tutor can achieve his goal in no time!"

Aqiu's expression changed as he said, "If the Northern Qiang people receive this news, they will definitely not sit idly by!"

Shangguan Yuqi looked at her again and said, "Young Master is one of the most skilled martial artists in the world, and with Xiao Xiao by his side, there should be no major problems."

A Qiu realized that her concern for Gu Yi had been too obvious and excessive. Fortunately, Shangguan Yuqi was a gentleman and didn't say anything, otherwise she would definitely have become suspicious.

She composed herself and could only pretend that it was none of her business. After all, she was just a minor female official in the Music Bureau, and such important military and national affairs should not concern her.

At this moment, anything related to Gu Yi would startle her eyes and mind.

Because of everyone, only she knew that Gu Yi was not an absolute powerhouse without any weaknesses. And only she had once sworn to be with him through thick and thin, to protect him forever.

But given the vast difference in their social standing, all she could do was pray for him in her heart, wishing him a safe journey north.

At this moment, Gu Yi was sitting upright on the Yangtze River, in the cabin of a passenger ship.

Beyond the Yangtze River lies the place where Marquis Li Chongyu of Guannei has amassed a large army. Li Chongyu's southward march has already caused panic in the prefectures and counties along the way, with many wondering if it is a harbinger of another civil war.

In the distance, the Heavenly Gate is broken, the river flows on and on, shrouded in mist and haze.

Gu Yi, dressed in black robes that reached the ground, held the world-renowned "Louyue Sword" across his knees.

Those who know him well will notice that, overnight, the number of silver strands mixed in with his black hair seems to have increased.

He appeared to be intently observing the black and white chessboard on the table in front of him.

Beneath the chessboard, hidden in his sleeve, was a gold tassel ornament inlaid with a gilt-green cat's-eye pattern.

This exotic-style floral ornament was the one Ah Qiu wore on her forehead when he first met her at the Music Bureau.

He can still clearly remember the surprise she felt when she first looked up at him, and... the flutter in her heart.

Later, he was once moved by her silly appearance and wanted to remove the flower ornament on her forehead to see if the love flower he planted for her back then was still there. A Qiu misunderstood this as lewdness, and her cheeks turned red.

But instead of blaming him, she brought him the flower hairpin that she considered quite valuable.

Upon hearing that the hairpin was originally a "love token" obtained from a Hu woman by the notorious and philandering Prime Minister Gongyi Xiu, he almost threw it out the window with his sleeve.

But she didn't throw it away later because seeing it would involuntarily remind her of the first time she looked up at him under the emerald green cat's eye tassel.

Her eyes, clear and bright like autumn water, were originally a pair of beautiful, bright eyes, but the moment they met his gaze, she suddenly felt guilty.

Countless women have been captivated by him. But he only remembers her captivating expression in that fleeting moment.

He brought it with him on his way north to see Li Chongyu on official business.

This made him feel as if she was still by his side, within his reach.

He misses her very much.

The boat was piloted by three masked junior masters. This journey required absolute secrecy, so the local authorities were not alerted, and Gu Yi used his personal resources entirely.

Xiao Chang'an stood at the bow of the boat, watching the water and sky merge into one, and feeling the gentle breeze on the river.

But the scene of Gu Yi carrying A Qiu out of the inner room and sending him back to Tangli Garden in a rather unpleasant way resurfaced in her mind.