No successor
Mo Yimingyue was somewhat afraid to look at her and said, "I received my master's order to rush here from the palace overnight. My master asked me to tell you to kill someone."
Her pupils dilated slightly.
I expected it to be roughly like this. But I never imagined it would actually be like this.
She suppressed all the turmoil in her heart and looked at her palm, saying, "Senior brother, do you think I can still do it now?"
A wry smile finally appeared on Mo Yimingyue's face as she said, "Of course, we have to do it even if we can't."
He stood up and said with emotion, "If we hadn't repeatedly pushed ourselves to make breakthroughs, none of us three siblings would have achieved what we have today. And this is also the path and method of cultivation for the assassins of Lanling Hall, which is 'using battle to sustain battle.' Your idleness and continued daydreaming will only do you more harm than good."
By the last sentence, he had spoken with great earnestness and concern.
Mo Yimingyue continued, "A Qiu, actually I used to envy you a lot. I envied your talent in martial arts, which far surpassed ours, and I envied how easily you could reach a state of mind where you could walk on the edge of life and death without any ripples. I also envied my master for always regarding you as his future successor."
A Qiu's heart pounded uncontrollably. Finally, she mustered some strength and asked, "What?"
She knew that her master, Wan Qiqing, had always valued and cultivated her. However, the three heroes of Lanling each had their own strengths. A Qiu always believed that her master's chosen successor would be either the eldest brother, Gongyi Xiu, who performed well in the court and could overturn a country with a single word, or the second brother, Mo Yimingyue, who was extremely powerful and could do whatever he wanted, whether by land, water, or north and south.
But she never imagined that the successor her master intended was herself. Perhaps her martial arts were number one on the Lanling list, perhaps she was a sharp blade that would drink blood once it was drawn, perhaps she was indeed a genius that the Divine Weapon Hall had only seen once in a century, but for some reason, she never considered the possibility of inheriting her master's mantle.
Perhaps, rather than feeling that her master did not favor her, it's more accurate to say that she had long ago shut down this possibility in her mind and refused to even consider it.
It's not just a question of whether her master has thought about it, but also that she doesn't want to.
Why?
She vaguely asked herself this question.
Mo Yimingyue's voice continued, "Don't disappoint your master again, and don't disappoint us. You should know that your current position is something many people would kill for. How can you give it up so easily?"
She wanted to ask in return why people should give up their most precious things: trust, feelings... instead of clinging to something illusory and unreal.
But she didn't ask that question. Instead, she finally spoke mechanically in her usual way: "Whom does Master want me to kill?"
At the same time, several possible names flashed through her mind in a blur.
Mo Yimingyue did not answer immediately.
Suddenly, a clear light pierced her heart like a sharp sword.
She finally managed to speak, enunciating each word slowly and deliberately: "Gu...Yi?"
Gu Yi.
It must be him.
Wan Qiqing was perfectly aware that her current situation was inextricably linked to Gu Yi.
If Gu Yi cannot be used by him, then at least she can.
If she kills Gu Yi, she can naturally get rid of all her emotions.
She was the only one who could easily approach Gu Yi. Moreover, Gu Yi's martial arts skills were no longer as invincible as before.
She became increasingly certain of her judgment, her chest tightened, and she stared blankly at Mo Yimingyue, unable to utter another word.
Mo Yimingyue looked at her with a complicated expression, but did not answer.
After a moment, he asked, "If so, what do you plan to do?"
Just as A Qiu was about to answer, a sharp pain shot through her head. She raised her hand to speak, but suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.
Mo Yimingyue could no longer bear to watch. She rushed forward and swiftly struck several acupoints on her body to stop the churning of blood and qi in her chest. Only then did she say with exasperation, "So, the name Gu Yi can't even be mentioned anymore? When has my Lanling Hall ever produced someone like you..."
He couldn't think of a suitable word, so he could only sigh.
Not to mention Mo Yimingyue, even A Qiu herself never expected that she would react so strongly to Gu Yi.
Mo Yimingyue calmed herself for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "It wasn't him!"
A Qiu's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, shattered and bewildered, suddenly floated down to the ground.
Mo Yimingyue noticed the change in her expression and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
When it comes to the most profound understanding of human nature, probably no one in the world can surpass Wan Qiqing.
If Wan Qiqing had ordered A Qiu to kill Gu Yi, given the current situation, it would only push A Qiu to the opposite side, making her extremely resistant. Because it's clear A Qiu is simply incapable of doing it.
Therefore, the person he proposed was not Gu Yi.
This is already giving A-Qiu a way out, a concession.
Therefore, no matter who this person is, A-Qiu will inevitably be unable to refuse.
But what Mo Yimingyue was really worried about was whether A Qiu still had the ability to carry out this assassination.
If it were the old Mo Yimingyue, she wouldn't have been worried at all, because with A Qiu's strength, eliminating that person would have been as easy as taking candy from a baby. But judging from her current physical and mental state, even if she were willing to obey, she would probably find it difficult to succeed.
But this was already the limit of Wan Qiqing's patience.
Mo Yimingyue steeled her resolve and said, "My master wants you to assassinate Crown Prince Xie Tiao."
Upon hearing this name, A Qiu seemed completely stunned.
Donggong Xie Tiao can be considered the least important person in the Great Yan Dynasty right now. He has neither real power nor any special talent. Among the current generation of the Great Yan Dynasty, he is an insignificant figure.
His martial arts skills were mediocre, and the people in the palace did not pay much attention to him; he was not difficult to kill.
The master suggested this name, it was practically a way to bring her down.
but--
A bitter smile appeared on her lips again, but it was an even more bitter smile than when she heard Gu Yi's name earlier.
Mo Yimingyue stared intently at her reaction.
Seeing her lips move, Mo Yimingyue immediately said, "When I was in the palace, I also met Xie Tiao. Are you thinking that killing him seems unfair? But I want to tell you that under the current circumstances, killing him is imperative and an essential part of Master's plan. It's not as simple as just making trouble for you or punishing you."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I would like to hear the details."
Mo Yimingyue said, "Dayan is forced by the situation and has now decided to submit to the Northern Qiang. Soon, it will send an envoy to the north to seek peace. But how could we not know that Dayan's surrender at this moment is just a delaying tactic? If the Northern Qiang really withdraws its troops, the Southern Dynasty will definitely seize the time, unite its ruler and ministers, and work harder to get rid of the Northern Qiang's rule."
She said in a deep voice, "But even if the Northern Qiang accept the surrender, it is impossible for them to let the Southern Dynasty go without making any demands."
Mo Yimingyue coldly replied, "That's natural. The goal of the Northern Qiang is to truly unify the world and make the people of the Southern Dynasty submit to their rule. They will never allow the Southern Dynasty to simply admit defeat peacefully and completely. This is also why Master insisted on Xie Tiao's death."
A Qiu's heart pounded. Suddenly, she understood something.
Emperor Xie Lang of the Dayan Dynasty, given his physical condition, was not expected to remain on the throne for much longer. If Xie Tiao were to encounter further mishaps at this time, the Xie Dynasty would be without a successor, and even without the deterrence of the Northern Qiang, the stability of the Southern Dynasty would be precarious.
Moreover, this happened during the surrender of the Northern Qiang. If the crown prince were to die, it would mean that the country would have no legitimate heir, and the Northern Qiang could then legitimately send troops to take over and dismantle the Southern Dynasty's regime. Furthermore, this event would inevitably deal a heavy blow to Xie Lang on the throne, exacerbating his despair and hopelessness.
She heard herself say blankly, "Aren't you afraid that Xie Lang will rebel in anger by doing this?"
Mo Yimingyue smiled for the first time, revealing a set of snow-white teeth, and said, "What can he do?"
A-Qiu was speechless.
Unable to withstand the overwhelming offensive of the Northern Qiang army at the border, the Southern Dynasty reached a consensus: surrender. This surrender naturally included, first and foremost, the relinquishment of the emperor's throne and the end of the royal family's glory.
At this critical moment, what good is losing a crown prince? Could he, in a fit of rage, lead an army of 100,000 to the battlefield and reverse the decline of the Southern Dynasty? If he could do that, why would he need to surrender?
Moreover, with the country destroyed, the existence of the Xie family's crown prince was completely unnecessary. Court officials could argue that it didn't matter whether he lived or died. Was it really worthwhile to wage war again for a crown prince who was already castrated, sending hundreds of thousands of innocent people to the battlefield?
Mo Yimingyue smiled and said, "Any other questions?"
Aqiu said blankly, "No more."
She looked up, meeting Mo Yimingyue's gaze, and for the first time, her will ignited: "There is only one thing."
"Xie Tiao, the Crown Prince, is my fellow disciple; I cannot kill him."
Upon hearing these resounding words, Mo Yimingyue, known for her ruthlessness, almost thought she had misheard.
He was stunned for a moment, then said incredulously, "You and Xie Tiao are fellow disciples?"
His expression suggested he wanted to laugh, but he suppressed it. He said stiffly, "Everyone in the world knows that Gu Yi is the Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince. Of course I know that too, but A Qiu, I don't think there's any affection between you and Xie Tiao. You've only been in the palace for a few months, how long have you known him?"
He went on to say, “You have ties with Gu Yi, and Master can grant you leniency and let bygones be bygones, but you can’t always stand on their side and protect them all.”
He spoke earnestly, his voice a mixture of anger and amusement: "Think about it again. If the same thing happened to them, would they value friendship just as much? Have you forgotten how they abandoned you?"
In A Qiu's heart, the brief past she had spent with Xie Tiao flashed by. The arrogant yet outwardly composed Crown Prince at their first meeting, the boy who later revealed his confusion and vulnerability... and then, his repeated calls of "Junior Sister".
At least in the palace, during her most difficult period, it was Xie Tiao who stepped forward to support her and did his best to confirm her status as the successor of the Junior Tutor.
A Qiu said bitterly, "Even if they are truly abandoning me now, that doesn't prove that everything before was a lie."
Her voice was hoarse as she said, "It's just that everyone has their own path, and once we've crossed paths, we can't get together again."
Mo Yimingyue looked at her, unable to say anything more.
He said in a deep voice, "Now I finally understand why Master refused to come to see you in person. If he heard what you are saying now, he would probably be furious."
He continued, "All those years of earnest teachings from Lanling Hall couldn't withstand the changes you've experienced in just a few short months since you entered the palace. Fine, you've finally understood what affection is, but now you're utterly defeated and utterly broken because of it. Ah Qiu, is this what you wanted?"
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