Catching shadows
A-Qiu was initially nervous, but upon hearing her words, she couldn't help but want to laugh. Bai Shi and Gongye Fusu probably really hadn't committed any crimes like murder or arson. As for herself, that was another matter.
But her smile froze before it reached her lips, as the steward outside reported, "The officer said that they were instructed to find a young master and a young lady, both nobles from the capital, with excellent character and appearance. I guess they initially mistook the head of the household for the person they were looking for, only to realize it wasn't him when he showed his face."
The three people inside the carriage looked at each other, speechless for a moment.
They all thought of the same possibility.
Ah Qiu controlled her voice, remaining calm and composed, and said, "If you're looking for someone, why isn't there a portrait posted or hung up? Did you say what the reason is?"
The steward replied, "It's probably because the person they're looking for isn't a wanted criminal on the surface, so the officers have to search for him in secret. They haven't given any reason, only saying that their superiors are looking for him."
He pondered for a moment and said, "The officer also complained that the orders from above were strange. They said that if we encountered these two people, we should not take action to capture them, but instead report to the prefecture and keep a close watch on their movements along the way. The officer said that the other party must be a big shot, and that we soldiers below could not easily capture them. The higher-ups were afraid of alerting them."
A Qiu's heart sank.
Gongye Fusu said to the carriage door, "You've inquired very thoroughly, go ahead." Then, after a moment's thought, he asked Aqiu, "What do you think, young lady?"
A Qiu said in a deep voice, "This order is probably aimed at me and my master."
When Gu Yi took her from the capital to the southwest, the people at the Martial Saint Shrine saw only the two of them. The fact that Gongye Fusu and Lie Changkong were there to meet them on the way was unknown to the court officials.
She continued, "As for why I wasn't recognized earlier, firstly, my master wasn't with me, and secondly, the soldiers only knew there was one woman, but Bai Huashi and I were two people, so the number didn't match up, and the soldiers didn't think of that."
Bai Shi then said, "What you say makes sense, because the official portraits are not drawn based on real people. They can only approximate the image. When you and I were together, the soldiers did not think of this at all and did not pay attention."
Gongye Fusu did not respond further, as he, like A Qiu, was rapidly calculating a countermeasure.
If this order is indeed directed at A Qiu and Gu Yi, then it's hard to say who issued the order and what their intentions are.
Gongye Fusu asked, "At this moment in the capital, besides His Majesty, who else knows that the young lady has returned?"
A Qiu said decisively, "Even His Majesty doesn't know that I'm the only one who has returned to the capital. Although I received a letter from Miss Shangguan, I didn't reply because I thought I would return in a few days and we could talk face to face if there was anything, so there was no need for this."
Gongye Fusu said, "In that case, even His Majesty is unsure when you will return. He only requested that the Junior Tutor return to the capital, but he doesn't know how many people will return, or when they will return." He frowned and said, "Could this order have been issued by His Majesty, specifically hoping that you will return?"
A Qiu smiled wryly and said, "That's probably unlikely. Given how well Master and His Majesty know each other, if Master wants to go back, he can simply say so. If Master doesn't want to go back, His Majesty won't tie him up with rope to go back. Making such a fuss is unnecessary."
Gongye Fusu looked troubled and sighed, "If it weren't for Your Majesty, the outcome would be unpredictable."
Before Gongye Fusu could say anything more, Aqiu said decisively, "There must be someone who doesn't want Master to go back."
Her words caused an immediate uproar in the car, and no one could utter a single word.
Given the immense prestige of Grand Tutor Gu Yi in the Southern Dynasty over the past decade, the fact that someone would dare to make such a thought is clearly beyond everyone's imagination.
The rise and prosperity of the Dayan Dynasty were almost inextricably linked to Gu Yi's reputation. No one would ever try to imagine a Dayan Dynasty without Gu Yi.
Moreover, Gu Yi at this time was in the eyes of the world at the peak of his life, not at the age of old age waiting for the handover of power.
If A Qiu's conjecture is confirmed, it will immediately bring a storm of upheaval to the newly established half of the Southern Dynasty.
After a moment, Gongye Fusu said with difficulty, "Miss can probably guess who it is, so we can take precautions in advance." His words implied that he already regarded himself, Gu Yi, and A Qiu as one.
A Qiu lowered his head for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "In the end, I haven't been in the palace for long and I don't have any deep connections with the powerful families of the Southern Dynasty. And these undercurrents were almost invisible on the surface when my master was still around."
But in her heart, she also vaguely sensed some clues and traces.
Gu Yi revealed his true form—white hair and gray eyes—at the Martial Saint Shrine. At the time, people might not have had time to investigate, but later they would surely be able to deduce the general outline from Xie Lang and her, since everyone knew she was Gu Yi's disciple. Afterward, Gu Yi took her far away, and Gu Yi was often absent from court. Xie Lang would naturally try to cover for him, but she could not escape the eyes of those who were interested.
Gu Yi was both the imperial tutor and a powerful minister. All his efforts after pacifying the realm were aimed at establishing a political system that could function smoothly even without his strong leadership. The clear division of responsibilities among the former Flying Phoenix Guards and the appointment of the new generation of Flying Phoenix Guards were proof of the effectiveness of his efforts.
However, because of this, when the central government realizes that one day Gu Yi will disappear but the government can still operate in an orderly manner, the power vacuum he left behind will inevitably be seen as an opportunity, and people will covet it.
Gongye Fusu also smiled wryly, and after a moment said, "Once the Grand Tutor leaves, many people's ambitions will surface. Not to mention others, I'm sure that Xiao Chang'an, whom you've mentioned, will be one of them."
A-Qiu said blankly, "Compared to this matter, what is actually troubling me more right now is another problem."
Gongye Fusu asked, "What's the problem?"
A Qiu looked out the window, and after a moment, said, word by word, "Does the Southern Dynasty still need a master?"
This question caught Gongye Fusu off guard. After a moment, he said, "You mean, if His Majesty no longer needs the Junior Tutor, and all the high-ranking families in the court have made their positions clear and consistent, and there is no need for the Junior Tutor to interfere in the affairs of the world... Under such circumstances, should the successor of the Junior Tutor still wade into this mess?"
A Qiu smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid it's not a question of whether I want to get involved or not. Once the Iron Curtain falls, they're determined to keep us out of the capital. When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away. They're already being polite by not cooking us. It's almost impossible for me to force my way into the center of power under my master's name."
A Qiu rose to prominence as a dancer in the Music Bureau, possessing no connections or influence in the court, nor any powerful background. Even if someone deduced from Wan Qiqing's two palm strikes at the Martial Saint Temple that she was once a top student of the Lanling Hall master, that background was a bad one, not a good one. With such a status, how easy would it be for her to replace Gu Yi and seize power?
Most importantly, in a political environment filled with strangers and no one to welcome them, whether or not to shamelessly force one's way in and desperately beg for a share of power is also a question.
If it were a poor scholar who had studied diligently for ten years, or a soldier on the frontier seeking official rank and a secure future for his family, then such actions would suffice, for all they sought was their own livelihood and, at most, the glory of their ancestors. But were she and Gu Yi truly so shameless as to seek official positions and run around like dogs for the sake of salary and wealth?
The journey to the capital suddenly turned gloomy.
Bai Shi comforted her from the side, saying, "The above is just speculation. Let's travel a little further and we'll see the truth. Perhaps it's all just a coincidence." Her gaze softened as she swept across A Qiu's face, and she said decisively, "In our sect's healing arts, there is also a technique called face reading. Judging from your bone structure, you are of immeasurable nobility. This journey is by no means a dead end. Things will change in the future, so I hope you will not lose heart."
Ah Qiu smiled bitterly, "I only hope that what Master Bai said comes true, otherwise I am practically a wanted criminal, and traveling with you will only be a burden to you."
Before sunset the next day, the Gongye family's carriage arrived at Yongguan City. This time, there was also a long queue at the city gate, and the people entering the city were bustling about. It was much more prosperous and bustling than Yunmeng City, all because the further southeast you go, the more prosperous and developed the cities become.
Gongye Fusu had ordered his steward to go to the city gate early this morning to inquire whether an identity check was required to enter the city.
The person in charge returned shortly afterward, his expression unusually solemn, and he was holding a scroll of portraits in his hand.
He whispered back from outside the carriage, "Young master, the checks here are much stricter, and they've issued arrest warrants with official seals. I bribed the soldiers guarding the city to get this portrait and send it to me." He pondered for a moment, then said, "How about we change our route?"
As he spoke, he handed the portrait into the carriage. Gongye Fusu reached out and took it, and his expression immediately changed after unfolding the painting.
Even though this painting doesn't quite capture the exquisite detail of Bai Shi's work, it's still very close.
The painting depicts A Qiu and Gu Yi, a couple that anyone would recognize. Even those who have never met them before could spot them in a crowd at a glance.
A-Qiu immediately froze, unable to utter another word.
Seeing that she remained silent, Bai Shi took the painting and was also extremely surprised upon looking at it.
Without a second thought, she said, "This painting must have been done by someone who has met you before."
He further explained, “Throughout history, when government officials have used portraits to capture notorious bandits, it has mostly been based on descriptions from others. However, these descriptions are usually only taken in haste and may not be very clear. They can only give a rough account based on their memories. By the time these portraits reach the hands of the artists, they become even more varied and distorted. For example, how big are the eyes? How narrow is the philtrum? Facial features can vary greatly even by a hair’s breadth. Therefore, capturing someone based on a portrait is truly like finding a needle in a haystack.”
She continued, "But this portrait is different. It almost perfectly captures your appearance. There is only one possibility that the painter himself must have seen you and the young master. If it were based on other people's accounts, it would be somewhat distorted."
A Qiu forced herself to remain calm and turned to Gongye Fusu, saying, "Does my lord know anyone in the palace who is skilled in painting?"
It wasn't that she couldn't think; it's just that, now that she thought about it, although she knew many people in the palace, very few of them truly trusted and had genuine feelings for her. Gongye Fusu knew most of these people to some extent, so now that her mind was in a bit of a mess, she left this difficult problem to Gongye Fusu to ponder.
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