Teacher of Emperors

For some reason, instead of feeling sad, A-Qiu recalled the funny story of how her senior brother had said with a bitter face, "If Master sees your handwriting again, we'll probably be locked up in the back mountain to live out our lives together," because her handwriting was too ugly. She couldn't help but laugh.

Lie Changkong asked, bewildered, "What are you laughing at? What's so funny about this?"

Ah Qiu said slowly, "I just remembered someone who once asked me if I wanted to retire to the mountains with him."

Gu Yi's heart sank inexplicably, but he dared not show any expression, nor did he dare to look at A Qiu even once.

Gongye Fusu smiled and said, "The young lady must not have agreed, otherwise she wouldn't be here right now."

Ah Qiu said, "Yes! Thinking about it now, if I had agreed back then, there might have been fewer problems."

If she had agreed then, she and Gongyi Xiu might now be the foremost calligraphers of Lanling Hall, and the hall's golden signboard might have been rewritten.

Gongye Fusu laughed and said, "Every drink and every bite is preordained. Since we missed each other, we were not the right people for each other."

A Qiu then looked at Gu Yi and smiled, "I need to think about it before I can answer you."

Lie Changkong's expression changed, and he said, "Is this the proper etiquette when speaking to your master? If your master gives an order, does that mean I have to consider it?"

Gu Yi, who hadn't looked up, waved to stop Lie Changkong and said, "Changkong."

A Qiu looked at Lie Changkong and said with a forced smile, "Chief Lie, if I take over Master's position, the first thing I'll do is pull out your tongue. Do you believe me?"

Lie Changkong was speechless, but he knew that she was the head of the Divine Weapon Hall and probably meant what she said, so he had no choice but to shut up immediately.

Gongye Fusu chuckled and said, "You're quite capable, young lady. Congratulations, Grand Tutor, you have a worthy successor."

At this moment, because Gongye Fusu had burned incense in the room, the stench of blood was gradually diluted. After watching Gu Yi lie down, Lie Changkong and Gongye Fusu gave A Qiu a few more instructions before leaving.

A Qiu sat with her knees drawn up beside Gu Yi's bed, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight on the table, her mind racing with thoughts.

Gu Yi lay there for a moment, then suddenly whispered, "A Qiu?"

A Qiu thought he was going to ask why he didn't agree to accept the Guigu inheritance, so after a slight hesitation, he said softly, "It's not that I don't want to agree, I just haven't figured out what conditions to ask you for in exchange. After all, unifying the world is such a big and difficult task, it's not a leisurely and fun job. I have to get something in return."

Gu Yi paused, then realized that was indeed the case. But given his current situation, what benefits could he possibly offer her?

Gu Yi thought for a moment and then said, "If you agree, you will have my current power and influence. Wherever you go, everyone will bow down before you, your orders will be obeyed, and your words will be law."

A Qiu said, "What you're talking about is 'power.' But those who wield power are also its slaves. Their thoughts, actions, and activities are all bound by its constraints. This can't be considered a benefit; it can only be seen as an interest corresponding to the price they pay."

Gu Yi continued, "Then, whatever you want—a luminous pearl from the Western Regions, a thousand-gold fur coat, a Ferghana horse—no matter how rare or precious, the people around you will take care of it for you, allowing you to enjoy the ultimate in worldly desires."

Ah Qiu chuckled and said, "Why would I go through all this trouble just to see and touch some cold, lifeless things that you can't take with you when you die? Am I stupid?"

Gu Yi said with some surprise, "You're quite hard to fool."

He sighed again, "If Li Wujiu were to see you, he would surely praise you and acknowledge that you are a natural-born person of my path."

A-Qiu asked curiously, "Then how did your master trick you into joining this treacherous scheme?"

Gu Yi was stunned for a moment by her question, and said in a muffled voice, "It's been too long, I don't remember anymore."

The path followed by the disciples of Guiguzi is destined to be a lonely, solitary, and long one, a path that is mostly spent in endless forbearance and waiting. Even the few opportunities that arise require careful planning and strict self-discipline to truly benefit the world.

Most of the disciples of Guiguzi never realized their ambitions despite their lifelong learning. Instead, they lived out their lonely lives in remote mountains and valleys, waiting to find a successor to pass on this lineage like a spark, so that it could illuminate the mountains and rivers of that era during the darkest times in history.

Gu Yi no longer remembers how he got here. What he can recall now are the people he met, such as Li Wujiu, Xie Lang, and Li Chongyu... They appeared in some of the darkest times of his life, adding fuel to the fire so that he could continue on his journey and not fade away from the stage of this era.

A Qiu suddenly said, "Gu Yi, if I agree to fulfill your wish, will you agree to anything I ask for?"

Without hesitation, Gu Yi replied, "Of course." The Guigu lineage was the most important thing in his life, and it had remained unchanged for over a century. As long as A Qiu could take over this matter, he would have no more worries, and he could fulfill any request she made.

Moreover, he knew perfectly well that she was the most suitable person in the world.

Ah Qiu said easily, "Then it's settled. I haven't thought about my request yet, I'll tell you when I do."

Gu Yi also felt a sense of relief. Although he still felt guilty, given his current situation, passing it on to A Qiu was the only option left.

Aqiu changed the subject, saying, "Master, why did you bring Prince Fusu along on this trip, and why do you trust him so much?" In her previous experience, Gongye Fusu and Gu Yi did not have such a good relationship; they should have had very little contact in the past.

Gu Yi said, “This is exactly what I wanted to tell you. In the human world, besides the Hidden World Sect, there is another sect that we, the descendants of Ghost Valley, can trust, called the Divine Witch Clan. This Divine Witch Clan is also divided into two sects, the Hidden Sect and the Manifest Sect. The Manifest Sect is the Gongye family, which is now active in the world.”

A Qiu had previously heard Gongye Fusu explain that his family were descendants of an ancient sorcerer clan who later withdrew from the court and became merchants engaged in the spice trade. He never expected that the Gongye family would have such a connection with Guigu.

Gu Yi said, "The Gongye family is the richest family in Dayan. Do you know what is most important to a merchant? It is reputation. The Gongye family has always been known for its integrity. But my Guigu family will not easily reveal our identities to ask for their help unless we are in a really desperate situation."

That is, a situation where Xiao Chang'an withheld his Nascent Soul Pill, threatening his life.

Gu Yi said, "Both Gongye Jia and His Majesty are people you can trust. Even if His Majesty had prejudices against you when you were the Lanling assassin, the moment you took over the Guigu legacy, His Majesty would only treat you as he would treat himself, as a trusted confidant. Because what the emperor must trust is the identity of the successive Guigu disciples as 'teachers of emperors,' not any specific individual. The imperial teacher and the emperor share the same fate, one prospers and the other suffers."

Listening to this, A Qiu reminded him, "Master just mentioned that the Gongye family is the prominent branch of the Divine Witch Clan. I wonder which sect the hidden branch of the Divine Witch Clan is, and where it is located?"

Gu Yi sighed heavily, saying, "The hidden sect of the Divine Witch Clan is called the Zhuyou Sect. As a hidden sect, it is similar to the Hidden World Sect, with few members who live in seclusion. Nearly twenty years ago, I saw two masters from the Zhuyou Sect in the palace, but now, I have no idea where they are."

He added, "The white-clad painter Bai Shi we saw at Tiangongfang today is probably a disciple of the Zhuyou Sect. The spirit-locking array she used to trap you in Tiangongfang was the Zhuyou Sect's technique."

A Qiu finally understood why Gu Yi had promised to bring Bai Shi with him when he entered Da Wan Mountain.

As she spoke to Gu Yi, her body involuntarily leaned against his bedside. After a night of travel, she felt her eyelids gradually grow heavy, and slowly she could no longer hear what Gu Yi was saying.

When A Qiu regained consciousness, he saw that the sky inside the room was bright, and the clear light shone into the room, making it bright and clear.

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the guest room, heading straight for the door.

Afraid that someone might barge in and bump into Gu Yi, A Qiu immediately jumped off the bed, grabbed the Louyue Sword from the table, and held it in her hand, holding her breath and waiting.

He didn't even have time to think about why he had jumped off the bed.

The footsteps stopped abruptly at the door, followed by a cautious voice asking, "Sir, are you awake? A distinguished guest has arrived at the guest room. He's been waiting since early this morning and specifically asked to see the young lady who went out with you last night."

A Qiu was taken aback, wondering who this was? They had just arrived in this place, how could someone know their name?

On the bed, Gu Yi's voice rang out: "Since I'm looking for you, you should go first. I'll get dressed and come back in a bit."

When A-Qiu heard him speak, she subconsciously looked at herself.

Fortunately, her clothes were intact. She must have been extremely tired last night and slept fully clothed, and was eventually pulled into bed by Gu Yi.

She then remembered that Gu Yi's clothes... were probably not intact like this. Last night, it was Lie Changkong and Gongye Fusu who helped him to bed, so naturally they wouldn't let him lie down without taking off his clothes.

Therefore, Gu Yifang is said to have clothes.

She didn't have time or dare to think about it further, and quickly said, "Then I'll go." She hurriedly left the room like a gust of wind, as if fleeing.

Upon entering the living room, one is immediately struck by the dazzling, colorful, and elegant bright lights, which almost dazzle A-Qiu's eyes.

Inside, large pots were filled with dazzling peonies, their branches and leaves spreading out in a riot of colors—purple, yellow, pink, snow-white, and dark green. There was even a single plant with two colors, and multiple layers of peonies. Even though A Qiu didn't know much about famous flowers, she could tell they were rare varieties. The entire room was filled with a captivating fragrance that could be smelled throughout the room.

Furthermore, on the large table beneath the window, ten pieces of brocade were laid out in a single color. Their colors ranged from light blue and green silk to hazy moonlight and flowing purple mist, and there were also precious brocades woven with gold and silver threads, such as coral, silver, vermilion, and three-tone gold and green.

One of them turned around with a smile, bowed and said, "My master, Young Master Meng, offended you and the young lady yesterday and felt really bad. So this morning, I had Bai Shi deliver these ten pots of flowers and ten bolts of brocade to apologize to you. I hope you will accept them and not take offense."

This person has gentle features and is beautiful and approachable. She is Bai Shi, the painter who painted a portrait of A Qiu at Tiangongfang yesterday.

Bai Shi must be highly valued both in the Meng family and in the outer sect of the Hidden Sect, which is why the Third Young Master Meng repeatedly sent her to greet A Qiu.

Although A Qiu had little dealings with officials' families before, she knew that when someone offered a gift, there was always an ulterior motive, especially such a generous gift, which was undoubtedly meant to silence the other party. If it were just her, it wouldn't matter, but yesterday Meng San sent Bai Shi to ambush Gu Yi at Tiangong Workshop. For someone of Gu Yi's status as the Grand Tutor of the Great Yan Dynasty, to think that a few bolts of brocade and a few pots of flowers could silence him and prevent further investigation would be too undignified.