Loyal to two dynasties
The moment it was mentioned, Ah Qiu's mind was immediately filled with memories of that night.
At that time, Gu Yi used the overwhelming "Chang'an Not Seen" to meet Wan Qiqing's unparalleled palm strike "Looking North to the Country and the Homeland". The two were evenly matched, each winning and losing. Stimulated by Wan Qiqing's palm strike, Gu Yi's old wound from A Qiu's "Assassination of Qin" flared up, causing his internal injuries to flare up completely.
At that moment, a grand eunuch dressed in a magnificent ochre robe suddenly appeared, demanding the tiger tally from Gu Yi to mobilize the Imperial Guards for martial law. This man was extremely tall and thin, with a withered and wooden face, and moved with the speed of the wind. In fact, A Qiu had a feeling at the time that the man's skill was probably not much worse than Gu Yi's, but she completely forgot about him afterwards.
Looking back now, it's probably because this person's technique was extremely good at concealing himself, so that those who saw him would intentionally or unintentionally overlook his existence.
As the chief assassin, A Qiu has an extremely clear memory of people's details, so when he recalls it now, it is as vivid as if it were right before his eyes.
Gu Yi knew she remembered, and said, "That is Rong Yu, the current head of the palace eunuchs. He was also the number one palace eunuch in the previous dynasty and the most trusted and capable assistant of the last emperor. I suspect that he is the number one expert in the palace now, and even the former Flying Phoenix Four Guards Consort Chen and Sikong Zhao are probably inferior to him in skill."
Upon hearing Gu Yi's introduction, A Qiu's original questions were answered without him having to ask.
Since eunuchs had no sons or grandsons, their power could not be inherited. They also had no family connections and therefore no powerful background. As a result, they were easier to control than relatives of the empress or powerful ministers. Therefore, emperors throughout history have relied on and heavily relied on eunuchs.
Rong Yu was the foremost person in the inner palace during the previous dynasty, serving two emperors and managing the myriad affairs of the inner palace, yet he remained unassuming and unknown. Such a person was naturally trustworthy, and it was perfectly normal for the previous emperor to entrust him with such a secret matter as the "Qianji Powder."
A-Qiu asked cautiously, "What is Master's relationship with this person?"
Gu Yi said calmly, "He is a former official of the previous dynasty and a member of the inner palace who is not involved in politics. We have always kept to ourselves and respected each other. However, since he has gained His Majesty's trust and is given important responsibilities, I also regard him as a trustworthy person."
Ah Qiu listened, stunned, and said, "The people His Majesty trusts, Master trusts too, and the same was true for the previous Flying Phoenix Guards. Master and His Majesty are indeed, as others say, confidants and have entrusted their lives to each other."
Gu Yi smiled and said, "The reason His Majesty was chosen in the first place was because of his exceptional qualities. If a ruler of a country cannot even judge people accurately, how can he possibly hold onto his position?"
Ah Qiu exclaimed excitedly, "Shall we go find Supervisor Rong now?"
Gu Yi glanced at her and said, "Yes." A strange feeling welled up in his heart.
Since A-Qiu arrived at Jinlingtai, he has gradually realized that his life is also undergoing some subtle changes.
For example, Jinlingtai hadn't seen so many visitors in the past ten years. And because of Aqiu's presence, the atmosphere of the discussions with Gongye Fusu, Sun Neiren, and others was subtly changing.
It has become more human and more vivid.
In the past, he had always been indifferent to human affairs. In his heart, people were like plants, flourishing and withering in their own seasons. People may draw closer to some people under certain circumstances, and leave others when certain conditions are ripe. There is nothing particularly worth missing, nor is it something you should miss.
But A-Qiu's existence changed his feelings, making him realize that even in such fickle human nature, there is still something beautiful and powerful.
He softened his tone slightly and said, “Rong Jian resides in the Zhaixing Tower, a place in the palace that is on par with my Jinling Terrace. What makes the Zhaixing Tower special is that it is built on an earthen platform and is the tallest building in the entire palace, allowing it to monitor all movements inside and outside the palace.”
He then joked, "If you win over Rong Jian's favor, he might allow you to ascend to the highest floor and overlook the entire palace, or even most of Jianzhang City. That's a privilege only His Majesty can enjoy."
Upon hearing this, A Qiu exclaimed, "Then he must have seen everything clearly when I fought with Aunt Yuan Yi, General Sikong, and Miss Shangguan in the palace on several occasions at night?"
Gu Yi smiled and said, "I'm afraid that's the case."
A Qiu said in a panic, "He is the top expert in the palace and the emperor's most trusted man. I'm afraid he won't allow me, a mere assassin from Lanling, to flaunt myself before him today, will he?"
Gu Yi said, "It's already been flaunted." He was referring to the night of the decisive battle at Jinshui Tower, when A Qiu was by his side. Rong Jian had already seen her then and even gave her a meaningful look.
A Qiu said with a bitter face, "There are other things that he...saw too." For example, when she first encountered the "ghostly prostitute" during her nighttime outing, she hurriedly snuggled into Gu Yi's arms; and later, on several occasions, Gu Yi carried her back to Jinlingtai.
Gu Yi finally laughed: "How could you be so foolish? Rong Jian holds a high position and is very busy in the palace. Why would you think he would stay up all night, monitoring the situation on the top of the Star-Picking Tower day and night?"
Upon hearing Gu Yi's words, A Qiu's face immediately flushed red.
She wasn't originally that naive; she just habitually followed Gu Yi's train of thought, never questioning anything he said. She never expected Gu Yi to play a trick on her.
Gu Yi took in her expression and smiled, "Actually, no one knows how much Rong Jian knows about the palace, just as no one knows how skilled Rong Jian is in martial arts. Because he never fights with anyone, nor does he ever tell anyone what he knows."
Gu Yi added, "He is only loyal to the Emperor. To serve two dynasties in the same way makes him a great man who lives in seclusion within the court."
The magnificent, seven-story Star-Picking Tower appeared before the two of them under the starlight and moonlight.
Since it was their first meeting, even the well-informed A-Qiu couldn't help but secretly marvel at it.
Compared to Jinlingtai, Zhaixinglou is situated on a higher and more imposing location, with its ascent consisting entirely of steps. It and Jinlingtai appear to be positioned to the left and right, respectively, protecting the central court. If Jinlingtai is characterized by its grandeur and magnificence, Zhaixinglou, with its advantageous location, commands attention and seizes the initiative.
Gu Yi and A Qiu encountered no obstacles along the way. Occasionally, when eunuchs carrying deer's tails met them, they would simply bow respectfully.
But A-Qiu knew that in such an important place as the Zhongchao Palace, there must be countless eyes watching and guards secretly. It was just that the defenses were tight inside but loose outside, and that people were not aware of the situation.
In fact, since they had not deliberately concealed their whereabouts along the way, someone had already reported Rong Yu to them.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be the most powerful eunuch in the palace.
When A Qiu and Gu Yi arrived at the foot of the Star-Picking Tower, at the small octagonal plaza paved with white marble, the two of them suddenly looked up at the Star-Picking Tower as if by unspoken agreement.
Just moments before, the entire building was deserted, like a sleeping ancient sword stuck at the highest point of the imperial city.
Just then, the bamboo rustled slightly, and on the third floor of the Star-Picking Tower, under the moonlight, someone stood by the railing, holding a snow-white scallop, its silver threads swaying gently, its ivory handle radiating a warm luster.
For some reason, at first glance, A Qiu felt that the tall figure under the moon was indescribably elegant and graceful, different from what she had seen at Jinshui Tower. He seemed like a refined scholar, a fairy under the moon, or even more like a withered and lifeless eunuch.
Gu Yi also stopped and stood still. After gazing at the person for a moment, he seemed to suddenly sigh.
But in that long sigh, A-Qiu heard complex and indescribable emotions.
Since they met, Gu Yi rarely showed any emotion. And such a deep sigh was something he had never heard of before.
The man on the third floor said leisurely, "If I remember correctly, this is the first time since the founding of the Great Yan Kingdom and since the Young Master took over the capital that he has visited the Star-Picking Tower. How fortunate! I just don't know why the Young Master sighed so deeply upon seeing Rongyu?"
Gu Yi said, "Because I have never tried to see Rong Jian from this perspective before. Over the years, I have been completely unaware of his true nature, and Rong Jian has deceived me right under my nose. Therefore, I am just expressing my feelings."
Rong Yu turned his body to the side, his gaze fixed on the two of them as if it were a tangible object, and said with a smile in his voice, "What kind of angle is this?"
Gu Yi replied, "The angle of looking up."
A Qiu suddenly understood everything.
In the past, Gu Yi was second only to the emperor. Even when he occasionally encountered Rong Yu in front of the emperor, it was usually Rong Yu who bowed to him. Eunuchs were used to speaking with a hunched back, and Rong Yu was always low-key and humble.
Therefore, his usual perspective when looking at Rong Yu is from above, not from below as he does now.
The moonlight, like a ribbon or a waterfall, reflected on the balustrade like snow. Looking at the tall, elegant figure with a graceful air, A Qiu already knew who he was.
The "Four Constellations of Heavenly Secrets," who have been hidden in the palace for forty years to protect the Southern Dynasty's royal family, have now seen three of them:
The first one is Chu Yuanyi, the "Wind and Thunder Slasher" who hides in the ruined Qiwu Palace. Although she is not very clear-headed, she fought with A Qiu when A Qiu first accidentally entered Qiwu. However, after hearing the name "A Qiu", she treated her with great affection and was also A Qiu's closest friend.
The second one is Zhongli Wuyan, the "Purple-Clad Fairy" who lives near the Temple of Music. She was also a senior member of the Music Bureau, so she and Aqiu have a connection. When Sun Neiren passed on the responsibility of protecting the dance troupe to Aqiu, Aqiu lit incense and candles and asked her to be present as a witness.
The third was An Shangzhi, the "Master of the Flute," now An Daoling, the highest-ranking official in the Music Bureau. Because of his acquaintance with Gu Yi, he also valued A Qiu, the newly promoted female music official, and repeatedly provided her with opportunities to achieve success, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Now, A Qiu knew that he was intentionally cultivating her, so that she could prove herself not only as Gu Yi's disciple but also through her own achievements.
The person standing on the third floor in front of us is undoubtedly the fourth of the Four Constellations of Heaven, Rong Yuexian, who once amazed the righteous martial arts world with his elegant and charming demeanor and was known as the "refined scholar".
No one expected, not even Gu Yi, that the most outstanding among the "Four Mansions," whose martial arts were unparalleled, would rise to the top through two dynasties and become the chief eunuch of the palace.
Indeed, Rong Yuexian, the "elegant scholar," was not only not a eunuch, but also a woman. When she roamed the world, she loved to dress as a man, and her refined appearance earned her the nickname "elegant scholar." Therefore, no one ever imagined that the self-proclaimed charming Rong Yuexian would choose to become a eunuch after entering the palace.
Ultimately, she rose to become the head eunuch of the inner palace.
Perhaps noticing the change in A Qiu's gaze, Rong Yu smiled and said, "Your new disciple, Young Master, has quite the keen eye. You guessed who I am from just a few words. Your insight surpasses even yours, Young Master. Congratulations!" The last sentence carried a hint of sarcasm.
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