It's not a coincidence
A Qiu didn't know why Gu Yi guessed, upon hearing the contents of the letter, that the gift his master Wan Qiqing had sent was the other half of the Han brick.
She knelt in the courtyard for almost half an hour, using that half-brick as a cushion, but still couldn't figure it out.
As dusk approached, she finally found an opportunity to take the half-brick to Gu Yi and ask him about it.
Gu Yi was reviewing official documents under the lamp, his expression indifferent. Without turning his head, he said, "Of course, you said it yourself."
Holding the Han Dynasty brick, A Qiu asked in a daze, "Did I say that?"
Gu Yi said, "Yes." When she came back from the West Market with that half of the Han Dynasty brick, she talked about it almost the whole way, and he was tired of hearing it.
She said that Wan Qiqing had a very similar piece in his study before, so she suggested that he also put one in his study.
Perhaps she thought all men in the world had the same taste. Or more accurately, all masters in the world had the same taste.
Gu Yi couldn't say whether he liked or disliked it, but if asked to imitate Wan Qiqing's frown, he truly had nothing to say.
So the half of the Han Dynasty brick that A-Qiu brought back never made it into his study, but instead sat in a corner of the courtyard. If A-Qiu hadn't interfered, he might have actually considered using it to prop up a table corner or a flowerpot or fish tank in the future.
Ah Qiu continued, "Even if you knew that my Master Wanqi had one in his study, how did you know he would send it to me?"
Gu Yi finally put down his pen, turned around, looked at her, and a look of disbelief finally appeared in his eyes.
She wasn't always so carefree. Now she's become clingy to him?
He said calmly, "Probably because I think your master and senior brother are both quite intelligent."
Mo Yimingyue witnessed A Qiu fighting with someone in the West Market over half a brick, and Wan Qiqing naturally guessed why.
Not to mention, these Han Dynasty bricks now involve an even bigger secret. With Wan Qiqing's refined taste and ability to understand the subtle nuances of music, he would naturally be happy to do a favor over such a trivial matter.
A Qiu rolled her eyes, and this time she understood his unspoken meaning: "You mean I'm stupid?"
Gu Yi didn't answer again, but changed the subject, saying, "Didn't Lord An have something for you to do? Now you can do it."
A-Qiu asked in surprise, "So Master, you knew exactly what An Gong asked me to do?"
Gu Yi finally gently poked her forehead with the pen and said patiently, "If you keep eating and drinking without using your brain, I'll have to pack you up and send you back to Lanling Hall."
When A Qiu placed the half of the Han Dynasty brick that she had bought from the West Market and was now using as a flowerpot in the yard next to the half of the Han Dynasty brick that her master, Wan Qiqing, had given her, her eyes widened instantly.
It fits together perfectly, forming a seamless whole. Originally, one half of the stone surface bore the inscription "A Thousand Autumns" and the other half "Long Live," but now both the image and the inscription are complete. The image depicts a shaman dancing on a drum, her figure ethereal and flowing, her long sleeves seemingly capable of obscuring the sun and clouds.
The other complete piece, "The Marriage of the Chanyu," was brought out by Aqiu from the Qiwu Palace.
At this moment, the whole brick inscribed with "The Chanyu's Marriage Alliance" and the two broken bricks pieced together to form "Long Live the Emperor" are remarkable in both texture and pattern.
Both can be easily identified as two of the rubbings made by Andao Mausoleum.
A-Qiu exclaimed in surprise, "Master, I saw that half of 'Qianqiu' in Songxue Hall more than ten years ago, but the other half, 'Wansui,' was obtained when I went to the West Market with you last time. It's too much of a coincidence that these two broken bricks, which were discovered more than ten years apart, can be pieced together perfectly!"
Gu Yi glanced at the two bricks and said, "It's not a coincidence."
A-Qiu's mind raced, and he said, "Master, are you saying that this newly produced 'Long Live' half-piece was deliberately put into the West Market by someone at this moment when the Marquis of Guannei is crossing the river to the south?"
The half-piece from Songxuetang was from many years ago. If Wanqiqing had set up the scheme ten years ago, he wouldn't have kept only half a piece; he would have taken all three. Moreover, no one would have expected Wanqiqing to give that half-piece to Aqiu.
Therefore, the only thing that could be considered a deliberate design is the half of "Long Live" that was brought out from the West Market that night.
Gu Yi sighed, "I revealed my identity in the West Market and took this broken brick. Now, the news that the former Marquis of Guannei Guoli turned into broken bricks has spread around the West Market." Moreover, the message sent back by the Junior Master Charioteer said that there were also rumors implying that he was behind it.
A-Qiu immediately felt a headache coming on, and her apology deepened. She said with annoyance, "If Master hadn't accompanied me, he wouldn't have gotten involved in this matter."
Seeing her guilty expression, Gu Yi said calmly, "There's no need for that. Someone is deliberately making a fuss about this matter. Even if they can't drag me down with them, they will still use various means to disturb the capital and let everyone know that our Southern Dynasty has been disrespectful to the previous Marquis of Guannei."
A Qiu said, "This person is extremely cunning. With just a few tricks, he can stir up trouble and leave us speechless. I wonder who he is and how he came up with such a clever plan."
Spreading rumors to sow discord among other countries has always been the lowest-cost and most effective strategy. Those who create rumors only need to make empty claims, while dispelling them requires a hundred or even a thousand times more effort and time, and is not always effective. This is because people are often more willing to believe in fantastical tales of love and hate than in the mundane truth.
Gu Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Using minimal force to achieve maximum effect, that's quite like your one-man rule style."
A Qiu said, "It couldn't have been the eldest brother. If it were the eldest brother, Master Wanqi wouldn't have openly sent the bricks to me."
This makes a lot of sense. Wan Qiqing delivered the bricks to Jinlingtai openly and honestly, precisely to distance Lanlingtang from this matter.
Gu Yi agreed, "Let's discuss the specifics after we visit Luoyufang."
Caught off guard, A Qiu's eyes widened in horror as she exclaimed, "We? Go to—Luoyufang?"
She had just been punished by Gu Yi for mentioning Luoyufang in her senior brother's letter, and now Gu Yi actually said he wanted to go to a brothel with her. How could she not be shocked?
Gu Yi remained calm and composed, stood up, and said, "With me, that's fine."
Ah Qiu then understood what he meant: going alone or with his fellow disciples would both warrant punishment. But being with him, under his supervision, would be acceptable.
A Qiu said with a mournful face, "There's no need for that, Master. I'm not a man. Even if I went, what could I possibly do..." Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yi's gaze sent chills down her spine.
She was always quick-witted and immediately changed her tune, saying, "Master is so handsome and dashing, I'm afraid you'll suffer if you go there."
Her worries were not unfounded. The Hu women were far more unrestrained and bold than the Han women, and Gu Yi was such a handsome and outstanding figure. The thought of the Princess Wansui's eyes glued to Gu Yi filled her with extreme displeasure.
Gu Yi said with a straight face, "Is that so?"
He initially thought her eyes only gleamed at the sight of precious swords and divine weapons, but he hadn't expected her to be able to discern the beauty or ugliness of a man's appearance. She certainly had good taste.
He said casually, "If you're worried that I'll suffer a loss, I have a good idea."
A Qiu had only made it up on the spot, but to her surprise, Gu Yi continued talking along with her. She wondered to herself, "What method?"
Gu Yi then glanced at her and said, "Why don't you put your hair up and pretend you're married? Those women soliciting customers will think you're my wife and won't dare to act recklessly."
Those noblewomen who accompanied their husbands to brothels, though extremely rare, did not entirely disappear; they were there to meet with guests and discuss important matters. The brothel madams and pimps could tell at a glance, and no girl would dare approach them to cause trouble.
Everyone wants to do business, but if you're so tactless that you get slapped a few times by your wife, it's not worth it.
A Qiu's face flushed red, and she said somewhat uncomfortably, "Master is quite knowledgeable about brothels!" She chuckled dryly, "Disciple, disciple dare not presume."
She never imagined that Gu Yi would joke like that. She used to think Gu Yi was unapproachable and a man of few words. He mostly seemed to be enduring her.
If you look closely, Gu Yi's eyes and brows even seemed to hold a hint of a smile when he teased her.
No sooner had she finished speaking than the smile vanished from Gu Yi's face, turning as black as ink.
He practically gritted his teeth as he approached her and asked, "What makes you think I'm so knowledgeable about brothels?"
Whether Gu Yi is knowledgeable about brothels needs to be considered from two perspectives.
True martial arts masters are mostly averse to women. Because when one cultivates oneself to a certain level, one naturally views worldly fame, fortune, and lust as illusions and fleeting dreams. Wan Qiqing is like this, and Gu Yi even more so; they don't waste too much energy on things that aren't worthwhile.
But whether in the border regions or in cities, brothels are usually the places with the best sources of information. They are a melting pot of all sorts of people, and gang members like Mo Yimingyue would even use them as bases to establish secret networks.
Gu Yi rarely ventured there himself, but that didn't mean he had never been there.
After he pacified the land, he focused on central reforms and curbing local power, and in the last ten years he has hardly visited the area. This information was usually collected by the Junior Master Charioteer.
So today, he did indeed come to keep A-Qiu company.
Luoyufang, located in Pingkang Beili, is brightly lit and filled with music and singing even at night.
The bustling noise and wafting aromas seemed to remind people that this was a romantic city of decadent pleasures and extravagant spending.
High-ranking officials, powerful ministers, and wealthy merchants come here to buy the words "forget your worries," and Luoyufang undoubtedly does it exceptionally well.
Here you'll find not only beautiful Hu women, captivating songs and dances, and paper-thin, delicious roasted meat, but also the famous incense from the Gongye family, fine wines from Tianjie, and even Wushi San (a traditional Chinese medicine).
After smelling the aroma of roasted mutton, A Qiu couldn't help but swallow hard.
Gu Yi glanced at her, both surprised and amused, wondering if she could actually swallow the food here.
He couldn't swallow anything here, not even the air.
He did not look down on any industry, because in chaotic times everyone has a way to make a living out of necessity.
However, this place is permeated with an overwhelming aura of desire. Whether it's transactions overt or covert, involving wine, women, fame, and fortune, it's all filled with greed, lust, and a numbing effect on the self that no amount of spice can conceal.
Politics has its dark side, but in the power struggles of the court, people can at least maintain their dignity and clarity.
Gu Yi was dressed in plain clothes today, and A Qiu concealed her face as before, but as they walked straight through the corridor, no one dared to bother them.
As soon as she entered, A Qiu introduced herself as Mo Yimingyue.
The burly, hunchbacked man guarding the gate immediately became solemn, his thug-like demeanor vanishing completely. He quickly gave a hand signal, and someone immediately came to lead the two upstairs.
A Qiu couldn't help but whisper to Gu Yi, "There are actually Second Senior Brother's people here. Eldest Senior Brother probably doesn't know, otherwise he wouldn't have come here every night before."
She moved closer and breathed on Gu Yi's face.
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