Therefore, a feint was set up.
A-Qiu chuckled and said, "I never imagined that Master would have such a respectable position in the Music Bureau, even able to take over the duties of Duke An."
Sun Neiren gave her a deep look, half proud and half joking, and said, "That's all because of you. Now I've been promoted to the head instructor of Tangli Music and Dance, and I'm second only to An Gong. Everyone in the Music Bureau knows that I'm the teacher of the Grand Master of Music, and who doesn't look up to me?"
Even so, Ah Qiu noticed that Sun Neiren's clothes and appearance were as simple and plain as ever. Her gray hair was tied up high without any hairpins or ornaments. She was still wearing her worn-out practice dress and wooden clogs. There was sweat on her forehead, indicating that she had rushed over.
A Qiu was filled with emotion, thinking of his wife, Sun, who remained steadfast in her old age, like a bamboo grove, never changing her integrity and character regardless of poverty or wealth.
Sun's wife said, "Although Lord An is not here at the moment, we can go to the Temple of Music and ask another person for advice."
A Qiu suddenly felt enlightened and smiled, "Senior Zhongli!"
Zhongli Wuyan was a senior member of the dance troupe. According to A Qiu's secret speculation, she must have been a dancer herself, otherwise she would not have been able to pass on the "floating steps" secret of dancers and then pass it on to her granddaughters and concubines in the chaotic world.
Ah Qiu now knew something else: the Zhongli, An, and Chu families, from which the Four Stars of Heavenly Secrets originated, were all powerful and influential clans in the Central Plains before the southward migration, enjoying great wealth and power. However, they gradually faded from the political arena after the migration. Otherwise, An Daoling, Zhongli Wuyan, and others would not have been so proficient in music and art, in addition to martial arts. Their senior sister, Rong Yuexian, was known as a refined scholar and was a master of the arts, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
In addition, they are all seniors spanning several generations, so it is not impossible that they had seen the "Shao" and "Wu" in their early years.
A Qiu said, "Then let's go to the Temple of Music and seek out Senior Zhongli right now."
Sun Neiren looked smug and smiled, "The Temple of Music is not what it used to be. The incense is not as prosperous as it used to be, but it has never stopped burning. Not only do the people from our Music Bureau go there often, but even the other palace maids secretly go there to offer incense and pray for beauty and spirituality. I wonder if Senior Zhongli is busy enough to handle it all."
Ah Qiu followed Sun's wife to the Si Le Shen Temple in the outskirts of Tangli. Sure enough, it was cleaned inside and out. The Kui Long statue, which used to be covered in dust, was now spotless. The four yellow curtains had clearly been washed and dried, and although they were a bit old, they were exceptionally clean. Smoke curled up in front of the altar, and the incense, flowers, and fruits offered were obviously freshly replaced.
A-Qiu asked in surprise, "No one has come here for decades, so why does it seem like someone is frequently cleaning and burning incense here now?"
Lady Sun smiled and said, "That's all because of the presence of a Grand Master of Music like you. Many servants in the palace know that you have been here, and they believe that it was the blessing of the God of Music that allowed an unknown dancer to rise to the top in just a few months and become the Grand Master of Music of our dynasty. Who wouldn't want such good fortune? Therefore, people in the palace in this area often come to worship in secret."
In a rare good mood, she even joked, "Some say that because I have been praying here devoutly for many years, Heaven has rewarded me by bestowing upon me a disciple in the dance troupe who is both highly talented and fortunate, not only taking on a leading role in the previous dynasty but also carrying forward the music bureau. Which explanation do you prefer?"
A Qiu pursed her lips and said, "What virtue or ability do I possess? It is naturally Master's virtue that moves heaven and earth." She couldn't help but think of all the help and kindness she had received from so many people along the way.
Of course, the most important person is Gu Yi.
As A Qiu was talking to Sun's wife, he saw her roll up her sleeves, pick up two red candles from the side, light them, and place them on an old but polished candlestick.
In an instant, the small front hall was filled with light, casting extremely long shadows of the four people on the ground.
After waiting quietly for a while, Zhongli Wuyan still did not appear. Aqiu couldn't help but be surprised. Usually, when looking for Zhongli Wuyan, she would arrive very quickly. She had also considered that Zhongli Wuyan's residence must not be far from here, and she could easily observe the movements here. But why was this senior so late tonight?
Thinking to herself, she cast a questioning glance at Lady Sun. Lady Sun, who had been waiting in surprise, suddenly slapped her forehead and said, "I remember now, isn't today the tenth?"
Ah Qiu counted the days and said, "That's right, is there any special significance to the tenth day?"
Sun Neiren suddenly realized and said, "Then we don't need to wait anymore. We've come at an inopportune time tonight; Senior Zhongli won't be showing up." She picked up the candlestick on the table and said, "Senior Zhongli once told me that she wouldn't be there on the night of the tenth of each month. But because I've rarely asked her to come over these past years, I've forgotten about it, which has made you come all this way for nothing."
A Qiu pondered to himself, "Could it be that someone is holding Zhongli Wuyan, a senior expert who has spent nearly forty years in the palace, still restraining her and making her report every month?"
Just then, a series of unhurried footsteps sounded from the rear hall, but they were coming from the front hall.
Zhang Exu and Cui Luzhu, unaware of who they were, became extremely nervous and moved closer to A Qiu. Even Sun Neiren showed a tense expression on her face, and she quickly reached out to extinguish the candle flame on the lampstand.
The person who came could not possibly be Zhongli Wuyan, because they had all witnessed Zhongli Wuyan's movements and techniques before. She was like an immortal, appearing and disappearing in an instant, and there would never be such a loud thud.
Fortunately, the moment the figure appeared to the right of the statue in the back hall, A Qiu had already grabbed Sun Neiren, stopping her from extinguishing the candle, and exclaimed in surprise, "Great Wizard Qi Shang, what are you doing here?"
The man stopped at the sound. He was handsome and tall, with his hair in a braid and dog-tooth bells hanging from his chest and arms. He was none other than Qi Shang, the great shaman who had been imprisoned by Zhao Lingying next door to Shangguan Yuqi.
He stared intently at A Qiu, and instead of answering, asked, "Girl with the Carved Moon Sword, what are you doing here? What is your relationship with Young Master Gu Yi?"
A Qiu was surprised by Qi Shang's excellent memory. When Zhao Lingying kicked him awake for questioning, it had only been a fleeting moment, and he had only glimpsed the Louyue sword she wore in a flash, yet he had so clearly remembered her appearance and background. Remembering the connection between the Zhuyou Sect and Guigu, she truthfully replied, "I am a disciple of the Junior Master, and Louyue was taught to me by my master. As for why I am here…"
She looked up at the Kui dragon statue in the hall and replied, "We are disciples of the Music Bureau who have inherited the art of dance and music. Isn't it a very ordinary thing for us to come to the Temple of Music to offer incense and worship?"
Qi Shang nodded and said, "You're right." He then looked at Sun Neiren and the two women, Cui and Zhang, behind her and frowned, "And who are they?"
Seeing his overbearing attitude, as if this Temple of Music was his territory, A Qiu was surprised, but still patiently answered, "They are the instructors and dancers of the Music Bureau, and also my dance teachers and fellow students. The God of Music, Kui Long, has always been a deity worshipped by the people of the Music Bureau. When we were learning our skills, we often came here to worship, hoping to become skillful and achieve something in the way of music and dance."
Qi Shang smiled and said, "I have been here for several days. There are many palace maids and musicians who come to worship and offer incense, but I have never seen anyone come to worship here in the middle of the night. This shows that you are lying. A few days ago you were with Zhao Lingying, and today you are wearing a magnificent official robe." He glanced at them coldly and said calmly, "Coming here in the middle of the night, you must be looking for us to do something for Zhao Lingying, right?"
A Qiu thought this was a huge injustice. She came here specifically to discuss things with Zhongli Wuyan, but who would have thought that Qi Shang would be hiding here? And judging from his tone, Qi Luo should also be here.
Her mind raced. She knew this Qi Shang shaman was extremely shrewd, sharp-tongued, and not easy to get along with. Since he suspected her, he would probably try to deal with them. If she were alone, it would be fine, but neither Sun Neiren nor Cui and Zhang knew martial arts. She had already witnessed the Zhu You Sect's techniques under Bai Shi's hands in the southwest, and if Gu Yi hadn't reacted quickly, she would have almost been hit herself. At this moment, since she couldn't find Zhongli Wuyan, it was best to retreat for now.
She immediately said, "Guigu and Zhuyou have a long-standing relationship. This junior dares not offend the Great Shaman. My intrusion was purely a misunderstanding. I did not know that the Great Shaman resided here. Since we have offended the Great Shaman, let's leave." With that, she pulled Cui and Zhang, subtly protecting Sun's wife, and prepared to leave.
Qi Shang, however, moved with lightning speed, appearing like a ghost and blocking the doorway in an instant. He said with a forced smile, "Since you're already here, stay here tonight!"
As soon as he finished speaking, A Qiu suddenly felt a ghostly aura rise throughout the hall. A cold wind swept in from the doorway, causing even someone with her profound internal energy to feel a chill run down her spine. In an instant, she felt as if the figure of Qi Shang standing at the doorway had transformed into countless illusory images, and she seemed to hear countless wailing and howling ghosts.
A Qiu knew the power of the Zhu You Sect's formations and had already drawn the "Lou Yue" sword. Her will was resolute, her mind and body in perfect harmony, and she was not swayed by the illusionary sounds. She only secretly admired the Great Witch Qi Shang for being able to gather earth energy and yin spirits into a formation with a flick of his finger; his skill was truly profound. This formation would not directly harm the human body, but those of ordinary courage would inevitably feel fear if they remained in the illusion for too long, and prolonged exposure might damage their spirit and will.
Qi Shang saw them as nothing more than young girls and middle-aged women, so he gave them a small punishment as a warning, and also to tell them not to make excuses to cause him trouble again.
This also reveals that although Qi Shang is intelligent, she is truly not well-informed about court affairs. At least, when she mentioned "the successor of Gu Yi," it did not attract his attention; he regarded her as just an ordinary dancer like Zhang Exu and Cui Luzhu. It also shows that the Zhu You Sect is truly reclusive and detached from worldly affairs, rarely interacting with people from the martial arts world, and having little experience in sparring with martial arts masters.
A Qiu thought to herself, if she were to forcefully break the formation with the "Carved Moon" sword energy at this moment, Qi Shang would inevitably be injured. She had no grudge against him, and he was Bai Shi's senior uncle, so it was not her intention to hurt him. But if she did not break the formation, she herself would not be affected, but Cui and Zhang would probably be disoriented and frightened.
She held her sword, hesitant, when she heard Zhang Exu behind her say blankly, "It's suddenly so cold here? Let's go back." Cui Luzhu chimed in, "Yes! Uncle, please move aside, don't block the doorway."
The two spoke in normal tones, without any panic, as if they were having a casual conversation.
What surprised A Qiu the most was that even now, Cui Luzhu could still clearly see Qi Shang standing at the door, blocking their way. In other words, she had not been affected by the illusion.
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