Wind chimes ring
Gongye Fusu sighed and said, “That’s not entirely true. To be honest, although the Gongye family’s business is traded in many countries, in essence, our business still relies on the prestige of the Southern Dynasty. Various countries and ethnic groups often look up to us because they consider us the legitimate successor of the Chinese nation, and therefore are willing to lower themselves to do business with us. If the Southern Dynasty were to fall under the hooves of the barbarians, and all Han people were to become slaves, I am certain that our trading posts and transportation routes in the north and even the western regions would be uprooted, and our industries would be openly or covertly seized and confiscated. This is the normal state of commerce following politics.”
Neither Gu Yi, A Qiu, nor Lie Changkong expected that the usually worldly-wise Gongye Fusu would speak so frankly, and they were all quite at a loss for words.
After a moment, Gu Yi broke the silence again, saying, "I am already grateful that the Gongye family head is willing to make this trip for me to study the method of refining the Divine Transformation Pill. The family head can use this as leverage to demand more benefits from me on behalf of the Gongye family. Why are you willing to expose your own shortcomings?"
Gongye Fusu sighed, "It is probably because the Grand Tutor can do so much for an ally like Li Chongyu, and can be so tolerant of an enemy like Xiao Chang'an who has not yet become a threat. Gongye Fusu is a descendant of the ancient shaman and has a long-standing relationship with Guigu. How can I sit idly by and only care about my own interests?"
Gu Yi remained silent for a moment before replying, "Patriarch Gongye, you flatter me. I have tried my best to protect Li Chongyu because his importance to the Southern Dynasty is self-evident; as for Xiao Chang'an, his scheming and methods are even better than mine, and he is capable of usurping the country. However, since his misdeeds have not yet been exposed, we should not let our fear of him cause the extinction of talented successors. Otherwise, if there is no one to carry on the legacy, the country will be lost sooner or later."
Upon hearing Gu Yi's words, A Qiu suddenly realized that his repeated leniency and tolerance towards her after she entered the palace was probably based on the same consideration in the beginning.
Unlike Xiao Chang'an, she never intended to hurt Gu Yi.
Although she was a critic, she could still distinguish between good people and bad people, as well as those who treated her well.
Gongye Fusu sighed, "So even now, the Grand Tutor's approach is not to reprimand Xiao Chang'an, but to head southwest."
Gu Yi replied, "Instead of provoking the opponent, it is better to first ensure that you are invincible."
What he meant by making himself invincible was, of course, first, to completely reclaim the method for refining the Divine Transformation Pill and have it refined by the Gongye family, who were also in the capital and could discuss the matter more easily; second, to find out the background of Xiao Chang'an.
Furthermore, his departure from the capital at the time of Pei Yuanli's death also left the chaotic situation and the subsequent power distribution to Xie Lang and the Flying Phoenix Guards to decide.
For the powerful clans of the Southern Dynasty, Gu Yi was always an outsider. It was better for them to decide on many internal power distributions themselves, especially since the Southern Dynasty had just lost Pei Yuanli because of their alliance with Li Chongyu, whom Gu Yi had invited.
Gongye Fusu was a merchant and not so closely involved in political changes, which is why Gu Yi asked him to accompany him on his trip.
A Qiu remained nestled in Gu Yi's arms, listening to the back-and-forth between Gu Yi and the two people outside the car. Her drowsiness gradually dissipated, and her mind slowly calmed down.
She didn't notice that Gu Yi's hand, which was pressed against her back, was constantly channeling his inner energy into her heart meridian.
She felt that lying on him like this was wonderful, incredibly safe, and perfectly comfortable. It was as if she was born to be like this, and that it would be best to grow up in his arms.
She also failed to notice that Gu Yi's eyes gradually closed, and the glint in his gray pupils slowly faded.
Finally, she realized something was wrong when his hand, which had been pressing on her back, suddenly loosened and fell.
Before she could call out to him, she felt the person who was wrapped around her slowly slide down against the car wall.
He then pulled her down onto the couch as well.
The two people outside heard the noise inside the car, but neither of them made a move to lift the curtain and go in to check.
Upon hearing A Qiu utter half a word, "Gu...", Gongye Fusu ignored it and said, "Miss, your internal organs were damaged by your master's two palms. Your young master has been protecting your heart meridian with his own internal energy all day and night. He must be tired, but it's nothing serious."
When Lie Changkong heard Gongye Fusu say "It's alright," he couldn't help but glare at him. He thought to himself, "How can it be alright? It's just that after Gu Yi took A Qiu in his arms, he wouldn't allow anyone to get close, so there was no one to help him."
However, considering that Gongye Fusu had burned the incense, worth a thousand gold pieces, in the carriage, which would greatly help Gu Yi and A Qiu recover from their injuries, he decided to keep quiet and not argue with him anymore.
Given the severity of A Qiu's injuries, neither medicine nor stone could be administered. Only the fragrance of medicine could enter her body through the air, helping to soothe her soul. In addition, Gu Yi's profound and pure Xuan Yang True Qi continuously flowed into her heart meridian, which is why she woke up so quickly.
But when it comes to recovering martial arts skills and being able to fight, it's probably not something that can be done in a day or two, and it's possible that it will be difficult to recover for the rest of one's life.
Wan Qiqing's two palm strikes were originally intended to cripple her martial arts.
Gu Yi lay down, still holding her tightly, his breath close to hers, his silver hair falling across her forehead and face.
His eyebrows and eyes were deeply sculpted as if carved by a knife and axe, and his facial features were handsome and dashing, yet they conveyed a sense of mystery and age that could not be discerned.
For some reason, even though she was so close to him at this moment, A Qiu vaguely recalled the scene when she first met Gu Yi at the Music Bureau.
Golden feathers fluttered, and amidst the shimmering light and shadows, a line of heads bowed and knelt. He arrived in black robes embroidered with feathers, his eyes filled with a detachment and indifference that transcended the vicissitudes of life, yet he stopped right in front of her.
Just that one glance upwards was enough to stir her heartstrings.
Even though at that time, she was just one of the hundreds of musicians in the music bureau, while he was high above her.
She never imagined that she would have so much interaction and entanglement with him afterward.
Was all of this simply due to her good fortune and his magnanimity?
Why does she still almost mistakenly believe that she is the one he favors?
“Gu Yi…”
She murmured very softly, her fingers tracing his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes, depicting the man she first met and the man she met again countless times afterward.
At this moment, however, the resolute words of his master before his departure resurfaced in his mind:
"You're still young, how could you possibly understand what true feelings are?"
What she wanted to say was, Master, even the youngest person can naturally recognize sincerity.
Whether gold is pure or the heart is pure, one does not need a great deal of experience or knowledge to understand.
Her feelings for Gu Yi were genuine from the very beginning.
As the noise inside the carriage gradually subsided, Lie Changkong, the driver, had several changes in expression, but he ultimately managed to suppress his emotions.
Gongye Fusu had already taken in all of his expressions and advised, "Good people are always blessed by heaven, so there is no need for you to worry too much, Prince Lie."
Lie Changkong glanced at the car again and said in a deep voice, "What I'm worried about is not the young master's health."
What he was worried about was Gu Yi's state of mind.
Even a blind person could see that Gu Yi's attitude towards A Qiu was extremely unusual, bordering on reckless.
And A Qiu's feelings for Gu Yi were equally deep and affectionate.
Gongye Fusu said knowingly, "People are alive, and relationships are like the fragrance of burning incense, constantly changing and flowing. Young Master Lie is also a disciple of a prestigious family, so why should you be so rigid in your thinking?"
Lie Changkong smiled bitterly, "But my master is no ordinary person. His cultivation path does not allow him to be moved by emotions."
Gongye Fusu was also somewhat nervous, and asked, "What if I fall in love?"
Lie Changkong was preoccupied and said, "His body is entirely maintained by the Transformation Pill. If his mind is disturbed, it will be like a long dam breaking. I'm afraid no amount of Transformation Pills can save his body."
Gongye Fusu said, "If that's the case, then wouldn't it mean that all the successors of the Ghost Valley School are forbidden from getting married? It seems there's a reason why this sect's lineage is so weak, with no successors for several generations."
Lie Changkong sighed, "The path to longevity and immortality always comes at a price. The fact that the disciples of Guigu must put the world first and sacrifice themselves is a testament to this."
A-Qiu was awakened in the middle of the night by a ringing bell.
The ringing of the bell seemed both near and far, lingering in my ears several times. Yet it wasn't annoying at all; in fact, it sounded quite clear and pleasant.
But seeing the carriage filled with moonlight, at the stroke of midnight when the moon is high in the sky, it seemed quite unusual for someone to be following so closely.
When A Qiu opened her eyes, she saw that Gu Yi was still fast asleep. She checked his pulse and knew that he was fine, just exhausted and asleep, which put her mind at ease.
She heard every word of Lie Changkong and Gongye Fusu's hushed conversation outside the carriage.
Gongye Fusu asked, "Did our Junior Master, the charioteer, inform the Hidden World Sect beforehand about our journey to Dayuan Mountain?"
Lie Changkong hesitated for a moment before replying, "This matter involves the master's most confidential information, so I did not inform him in advance. However, given the relationship between the master and Sect Master Li, it is not presumptuous for him to come to the door in person so suddenly, so I did not make any special arrangements."
Gongye Fusu said, "Then the owner of this bell is extremely difficult to fathom. It has followed us all the way, and only revealed itself when we were about to cross the Sword Pavilion. It deliberately led us astray from the main road. It is hard to tell whether it is friend or foe."
A Qiu carefully searched his memory for rumors about Da Wan Mountain, but the Hidden World Sect, known as the Hidden World Sect, rarely appeared directly in the martial arts world, and was therefore an existence that Lanling Hall ignored on the map.
However, Master Wanqiqing had mentioned Li Wujiu before. He simply commented that Li Wujiu was the most detached person he had ever met. Compared to him, Gu Yi could be considered to embody the spirit of perseverance and self-improvement, while the former Grand Secretary Shangguan Jin, although a successor of the Gentleman's Sword, also possessed a sharp and piercing sword intent.
It is unbelievable that someone like Li Wujiu could cultivate a disciple like Xiao Chang'an.
Remembering something, A Qiu asked, "Aside from the Hidden World Sect, are there any other forces in the Southwest?"
Lie Changkong was somewhat surprised that she had woken up. After a moment, he said, "Marquis Yongding, Fan Ying, is quite influential here. The Northwest Army is the northern shield of the southwestern prefectures, and the Fan family has a reputation for being a righteous army, deeply trusted by the local people. However, this person is secretive and doesn't fit the Fan family's style. If they want to greet the Junior Tutor, they will definitely state their purpose directly."
A Qiu pondered carefully, and then said, "Then the next question is, are the people who came here for the Young Master?"
The answer to this question is actually quite simple. If the person coming was after Gu Yi, they would first have to know that the person in the carriage was Gu Yi. But as Lie Changkong said, they had been traveling southwest without notifying any members of the Hidden Sect, so no one should have known that Gu Yi was here, and therefore there was no question of targeting Gu Yi.
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