Ungrateful
A Qiu and Gongyi Xiu, among others, should rightfully understand this as a Han Chinese regime.
Therefore, A Qiu entered the palace and Gongyi Xiu entered officialdom without much psychological resistance. Since the southward migration of the Han Chinese elites, the Southern Dynasties' regime had changed hands several times, always remaining in the hands of Han Chinese noble families. If Wanqi Qing were to one day decide to become the emperor of the Southern Dynasties himself, he would still preserve the original Han Chinese system and personnel.
At least that's what A-Qiu thinks.
But if Wanqiqing is actually a Hu (non-Han) person, then it becomes a completely different story.
The nomadic tribes were cruel and bloodthirsty, with no fathers or rulers, and even among their own tribes, might made right. If a father died, the son could inherit the estate along with his stepmother—things A-Qiu couldn't even imagine. Furthermore, the nomadic lifestyle, based primarily on plunder and devoid of productive labor, was a nightmare for the Han Chinese.
If the ruling class of a unified regime were to be composed of barbarian people who commit arson, murder, and plunder, even if A Qiu had little patriotism, he could hardly imagine how miserable the lives of the Han people would be.
Wanqiqing never mentioned his other identity to his three disciples: the National Preceptor of the Northern Qiang.
Even though Gu Yi knew this before, he had used words to force Gu Yi not to mention this matter in front of A Qiu.
Very few people in the world knew about his secret identity. But naturally, it couldn't be hidden from Su Rouhua, the leader of the Hidden Moon Clan, who had been maneuvering among the high-ranking members of the various Hu tribes for many years.
Therefore, when Su Rouhua saw him, she called out to him without thinking.
The identity of the Northern Qiang National Preceptor is probably closer to Su Rouhua and Li Chongyu than the elegant and refined martial arts master Lanling Hall Master, and is more familiar to them, as they share some familiar people and affairs.
Seeing A Qiu's pale face, Wan Qiqing was even more furious with Su Rouhua.
He never intended to keep it a secret from A Qiu forever, but now was certainly not the best time to reveal his identity.
He didn't answer A-Qiu's question, but coldly asked, "Are you two going to join forces with her?"
When he asked this question, he didn't even look at A Qiu, but instead looked directly into Li Chongyu's eyes.
Since there was no need for A-Qiu to answer, he understood her choice perfectly well.
Just now, A Qiu used the Moon-Shaped Penetration Technique to withstand his palm strike, and was gradually suppressed by him until his meridians were about to be breached by the true force. A Qiu had at least two choices.
Firstly, she could abandon her sword and let Li Chongyu be killed by him. Of course, for her strange and unusual reasons, she was unwilling to do so.
Secondly, and this is something only he and A Qiu know, A Qiu has a "hit-assassination" device hidden in the inside of her left forearm. She could take advantage of the fact that the two were very close at the time and in a stalemate to launch a sudden attack, which he would find difficult to deal with.
But even after his meridians were damaged and his internal organs were shaken, A Qiu did not do this.
Wan Qiqing had no doubt that if Li Chongyu hadn't intervened with that fatal blow, A Qiu would have endured until his meridians exploded and he died, without begging for mercy or giving up, much less attacking him.
He sometimes couldn't help but wonder, who exactly did A Qiu, who seemed so clever and quick-witted on the surface, resemble in his stubbornness and inflexibility?
If it were Gongyi Xiu, he would have knelt down and begged him to spare him long ago. But if it were Mo Yimingyue, she would have already tried to assassinate him.
He could accept either outcome. The former would soften his heart, while the latter reflected a ruthless style that he both feared and still admired.
The only outcome he couldn't understand was A-Qiu's.
But he also realized one thing: Ah Qiu would never hurt him under any circumstances.
Therefore, she would never join forces with Su Rouhua to deal with him.
This question truly put Li Chongyu in a difficult position.
Morally speaking, he should never have joined forces with Su Rouhua, because Su Rouhua was not an ally he was willing to acknowledge.
However, if we consider the pros and cons, since Wan Qiqing has already decided to kill him, this is a great opportunity to get rid of Wan Qiqing. If we miss this opportunity, it will be extremely difficult to kill Wan Qiqing in the future.
Moreover, although Wanqiqing did not answer Aqiu's question, he had already guessed that Wanqiqing must be the Northern Qiang National Preceptor.
This is because among all the Hu people, only the Northern Qiang National Preceptor is elusive, rarely seen, and seldom appears in public. Few people have ever seen him, whether at banquets for state envoys or on the battlefield. Yet, in the royal city, he is a figure whose words can stir up a storm.
Recalling the rise of the Northern Qiang to become the overlord, their brutal oppression of defeated territories, their iron-fisted tactics against stubbornly resisting cities, and their unscrupulous methods of dividing and winning over others, he suspected that Han strategists must have devised plans and strategies behind the scenes.
Today, he finally knows who was behind it. If all of this is connected to the famous and dashing Master Lanling, the mystery becomes self-evident.
Wan Qiqing and Su Rouhua were both waiting for his answer.
Su Rouhua said softly, "The same advice the Grand Preceptor gave to his beloved disciple is the same advice I would give to you, Marquis of Guannei. A wise man knows when to yield. If we join forces to get rid of this Grand Preceptor, it will only greatly benefit the survival of your Shuofang Army in the north." Her relationship with Li Chongyu was a closely guarded secret, and she did not want Wan Qiqing to know it at this moment, so she still addressed him as Marquis of Guannei.
If one were to name the dominant power in the north at this time, it would undoubtedly be the Northern Qiang. Their strength lay in their powerful army and vast territory; furthermore, their political system was striving to emulate the Confucian governance of the Han Dynasty, and was beginning to take shape.
The Northern Qiang are not only the Southern Dynasty's greatest future adversary, but also Li Chongyu's number one enemy at this moment. It would be a lie to say that Li Chongyu was unmoved by Su Rouhua's proposal.
A-Qiu was so nervous that she stopped breathing.
Wan Qiqing had already suffered serious internal injuries. Although Su Rouhua said that the three of them were working together, it was actually just to put pressure on Wan Qiqing. She knew Su Rouhua's skills. As long as she could hold off her master head-on, and Li Chongyu could provide support from the side, the two of them would attack at the same time, and her master would definitely be no match for them.
Wan Qiqing was about to kill Li Chongyu, so it cannot be considered unjust for her sworn brother to turn around and kill him now, and she has no right to stop him.
The key question is, when that moment comes, can she really sit idly by and watch her master die here?
With a clang, Li Chongyu returned the Sky-Splitting Longsword, which he had inherited from his father, to its sheath.
Su Rouhua's emerald green eyes suddenly lit up, flashing with an unpredictable, shifting light.
To everyone's surprise, Li Chongyu resolutely said, "Hall Master, please leave! You are my sister's master, and you have been kind to her in educating her. You are already injured, and it would be dishonest for someone to join forces with you to defeat you. If you are a true hero, we can meet again on the battlefield in the future."
Ah Qiu finally breathed a sigh of relief at this moment.
This sigh of relief came not only from the loss of her master's life, but also from the fact that she hadn't misjudged him.
My sworn brother, Li Chongyu, was indeed never one to take advantage of others in distress.
Only someone like her deserves Gu Yi's willingness to risk her life to protect her.
Wan Qiqing sneered, "Boy, have you thought this through? I've never been one to hold grudges, nor have I ever taken those outdated notions of chivalry seriously. If you let me go now, I won't be grateful. But once the crisis is over, I will show you no mercy, now or in the future."
When he got to the end, he deliberately emphasized the phrase "as long as the crisis is over".
As A-Qiu listened, she felt uneasy for some reason, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong.
Li Chongyu smiled wryly and said, "I have never been one to seek fame or gain favors. There is no one in the world who would dare to ask the Lord of Lanling for a favor. The Lord can rest assured."
Before Wan Qiqing could answer, Su Rouhua had already moved a step to the side without making a sound, blocking Li Chongyu's path.
Ah Qiu inwardly cried out in alarm; she finally realized what was wrong!
But it was too late.
Su Rouhua said softly, "Since the Marquis of Guannei is ungrateful, I, the clan leader, have no choice but to make this deal with the Grand Preceptor."
When Li Chongyu heard her say these words, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
He didn't even have time to glance at A Qiu. From her expression, he knew that she had also understood Su Rouhua's plan. He felt his hands and feet turn ice cold, and even his blood vessels seemed to freeze.
He had originally thought that Su Rouhua would eventually treat him, her son and disciple, in a slightly different way.
Therefore, she would appear at just the right moment when his life was at stake.
Only now did he realize that Su Rouhua had never changed. To think that she had changed was just wishful thinking on his part.
All the blood in his body rushed to his head.
He heard her softly part her lips and say, "If I am willing to help the Grand Preceptor kill the Marquis of Guannei here, what benefits will the Grand Preceptor promise me?"
Wan Qiqing seemed to have anticipated her question and sneered, "Any promises I make to you now are just empty words. Aren't you worried that after you help me kill this brat, you'll gain nothing?"
Su Rouhua smiled and said, "I've heard that although the Grand Preceptor is ruthless and pragmatic, he has one redeeming quality: he never lies to women."
Wan Qiqing was taken aback, perhaps never expecting to have such a reputation. He then glanced at A Qiu with a complicated expression and replied, "That depends on the type of woman. Someone like the clan leader is definitely not included."
Ultimately, in this respect, A Qiu's senior brother, Gongyi Xiu, best inherited Wanqi Qingzhen's teachings, which is that even thieves have their code of honor. He truly never deceives good women.
Upon hearing this, Su Rouhua chuckled lightly, her body trembling with laughter. She said, "The fact that you would say such a thing shows that the Grand Preceptor is a gentleman." Her voice carried a hint of melancholy as she softly said, "Some people, even if they look down on women, will not miss the opportunity to take advantage of them, and they would not be so frank and outspoken."
Wan Qiqing glanced at A Qiu awkwardly again, trying his best to act nonchalant, and said, "Then it can only be blamed on the clan leader's bad luck, that he encountered such unworthy people. However," he changed his tone and sarcastically remarked, "as the saying goes, the more you climb the mountain, the more likely you are to encounter a tiger. Since the clan leader is in this business, he has seen many customers, so naturally he has encountered all kinds of people."
Ah Qiu knew that although her master was harsh, what he said was true. Ordinary women, even if they married the wrong person once or twice, would just accept their bad luck. They would never have such extensive experience with men, and naturally, they would never encounter so many wicked and unscrupulous people.
Li Chongyu's face turned ashen. Unable to listen any longer, he shouted, "Whoever wants my life, come and take it! No need for this nonsense!"
Wanqiqing glanced at him coldly and said calmly, "You seem to be in a hurry to die, which is quite strange." Then she turned to Su Rouhua and said, "Alright! I promise you, if Li Chongyu dies here, I will help you ascend to the throne of the Great Qiang Empress, and I will allocate a fertile land at the foot of Yinshan Mountain to the Yinyue tribe to settle down. From then on, as long as I, Wanqiqing, am alive, the Yinyue tribe will not be driven by any other tribe, including my Northern Qiang. What do you say?"
Su Rouhua's eyes showed surprise, and she said softly, "The Imperial Advisor is indeed the one who understands a woman's feelings best. Before I even spoke, you had already guessed my thoughts perfectly. It seems that another rumor circulating within the royal family is also true."
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