She’s gone straight on the offensive…
Xu Qi’an looked at the young noblemen in the scroll, then after a few seconds withdrew his gaze and looked at Huaiqing, whose face was stern and whose bright eyes were fixed on him with burning intensity.
Huaiqing was proud, reserved, and fiercely self-respecting, completely different in temperament from Lin’an.
There were some things she wanted, but she would never say them aloud.
In that regard, she put even Luo Yuheng, who “hated dual cultivation”, to shame.
And from Xu Qi’an’s point of view, he knew Huaiqing’s nature. She was prouder than Luo Yuheng, more unyielding than Li Miaozhen.
A woman ambitious enough to covet the throne itself would probably find it hard to accept a husband doting on other women, and so Xu Qi’an had never made a move on Huaiqing.
He hadn’t expected that she would now make the first move herself.
On second thought, the realm was now at peace, the common people were busy with spring ploughing, the grain and fodder problem was gradually being solved thanks to the newly opened tariffs, and Huaiqing herself had become the sovereign. She no longer had any concerns or obstacles.
The next thing she wanted to pursue was obvious…
Xu Qi’an let out a sigh.
“What a pity, what a pity…”
Huaiqing raised a brow.
“A pity?”
Xu Qi’an spread his hands.
“Looking across the Great Feng, who besides this Silver Gong could possibly be worthy of Your Majesty? If you wanted to marry, you should’ve said so earlier. I could simply have married you together with Lin’an. But what are we to do now? Surely an elder sister can’t become her younger sister’s junior.”
He sighed and lamented as though he had missed out on some great stroke of fortune.
The eunuch in charge and the young eunuchs all lowered their heads at once, not daring even to breathe.
They desperately told themselves in their hearts, We heard nothing, we heard nothing!
When listening to this sort of “top-level secret”, it was best to position oneself as a tool that forgot as soon as it heard. Afterwards, think nothing, say nothing.
That was the way to survive.
In truth, the palace eunuchs feared precisely this kind of thing most, because the more one knew, the shorter one’s life tended to be.
Huaiqing was briefly stunned. She hadn’t expected such a reply. She stared at Xu Qi’an for a moment, then gave a light snort.
“Silver Gong Xu jokes too much. Lin’an is our younger sister. Since you’ve become the prince consort, you ought to curb your nature. Don’t be of two minds. Treat her properly.”
The sharpness left her brows and eyes, and her tone softened too. She looked extremely satisfied with Xu Qi’an’s answer.
After Xu Qi’an apologised for his “slip of the tongue”, Huaiqing gave an “Mm”, then said:
“Today, Wei Yuan was entangled in trivial manners, and was unable to enter the palace and play a game of go with us. Silver Gong Xu may take his place and accompany us for a match.”
I only know Chinese chess and five-in-a-row… Xu Qi’an agreed nonetheless.
…
Tower of Noble Spirit.
Wei Yuan unfolded the secret letter. It concerned the recent situation of Mahayana Buddhism in the Western Regions. As expected, the Buddhist sect had forbidden Arhat Du’e from spreading Mahayana Buddhism, and planned to hold a grand Buddhist Dharma assembly after the beginning of autumn. They were currently summoning believers from across the Western Regions.
The Nightwatchers had many hidden agents in the Western Regions, and all of them were natives there. These people were scattered across the various kingdoms of the Western Regions, specialising in gathering intelligence on the Buddhist sect.
The secret letter also mentioned that although Ananda had forbidden all nations and all social classes from promoting Mahayana Buddhism, once the seed of an idea had taken root and sprouted, it spread like wildfire and could no longer be returned to what it had been before.
Mahayana Buddhism had turned to secret transmission, and was deeply revered and pursued by poor commoners and slaves living in hardship.
According to a hidden agent who was himself a slave, believers in Mahayana Buddhism revered Great Feng Silver Gong Xu Qi’an as the Supreme Buddha of the Three Thousand Worlds. His will had descended upon Jiuzhou to spread the doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism, and the first person he had converted had been Du’e.
Arhat Du’e, moved by his influence, had comprehended the Buddhist Dharma and also become a Buddha.
The Supreme Buddha could deliver all living beings of the world from the sea of suffering, allowing everyone to become a Buddha.
Wei Yuan pondered briefly, spread out a sheet of paper on the desk, took up his brush and wrote, then stamped it with his seal. He summoned Nangong Qianrou and said:
“Take my written order and go to the Southern Marches border market to transfer thirty thousand taels of silver. Send it to the Western Regions and hand it over to the agents there.”
The delicate-featured Nangong accepted the order and frowned.
“Father, this is…”
With a tone full of pity for the suffering of mankind, Wei Yuan said:
“The common people of the Western Regions live in too much hardship. Send them some silver to improve their lives a little. Mahayana Buddhism can not only cleanse their hearts, but also ensure they have enough food and clothing.”
Nangong Qianrou was a clever person and immediately understood his adpotive father’s meaning.
If believing in Mahayana Buddhism could also earn one silver, then how those hesitant and neutral people would choose was obvious.
“Hmph, thank goodness Father is there behind the scenes making the plans. That coarse brute Xu Ningyan only knows how to fight and kill all day. How could he possibly think of things like this?” Nangong Qianrou took the chance to disparage a rival for favour.
Wei Yuan shook his head.
“If even things like this required Xu Ningyan to rack his brains and plan them out, then the Great Feng wouldn’t be worth saving.”
Nangong Qianrou stopped at the right point and changed the subject.
“Why didn’t Father enter the palace today?”
Normally, at this hour, his father would most likely be in the palace discussing state affairs with His Majesty and playing Go.
Wei Yuan sighed. “His Majesty sent word today telling me I needn’t go to the palace. I reckon that in future, I shan’t need to accompany her in Go any more either.”
Still, this secret letter had to be sent into the palace for His Majesty.
…
From that day onwards, Xu Ningyan received messages from the palace every day. Emperor Huaiqing invited him into the palace to play go and discuss affairs of state.
Apart from the first few days, when they genuinely played Go and discussed government matters properly, many of the later meetings saw Huaiqing frequently inviting Silver Gong Xu to stroll in the imperial garden, climb high and look into the distance, and even spar with one another.
Silver Gong Xu had all but become the female Emperor’s favourite courtier.
Seeing the man surnamed Xu entering and leaving the palace so frequently, the memorials from officials requesting that His Majesty marry and “establish a consort” gradually diminished, and they adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
Xu Manor.
That morning, Xu Lingyin, with Baiji perched atop her head, was running madly in circles around the courtyard, while Baiji continually adjusted her limbs to keep her balance.
This was a game they often played. Whoever lost first, whether Baiji fell off first or Xu Lingyin ran out of breath first, had to give the other their chicken drumstick at supper.
But one girl and one fox had never yet managed to decide a victor.
As they passed the inner hall, they saw Ji Baiqing, Auntie, Xu Lingyue, Lin’an, and Mu Nanzhi all inside drinking tea and chatting, the atmosphere harmonious.
“I think the atmosphere in your house is a bit strange,” Baiji said in a low voice, standing on top of the human cub’s head.
Xu Lingyin rolled her eyes upwards and replied in a sweetly childish tone:
“What?”
Baiji said in a soft voice:
“I can’t really explain it, I just think it’s odd. The way your mum looks at my aunt is very strange. She must be jealous that Auntie’s prettier than she is. And Princess Lin’an even gave me food yesterday, trying to ask about Auntie’s identity.
“Oh, and Sister Yeji suddenly told me that children ought to be honest…
“But I still didn’t tell Silver Gong Xu’s wife.”
The Yao race were good at reading expressions and moods. It was a natural survival instinct.
After hearing this, Xu Lingyin’s face remained blank.
“What are you talking about?”
Baiji thought for a moment, then tilted her head.
“I don’t know either… I just feel it’s odd.”
So Xu Lingyin suggested:
“Then let’s go ask my master. My master’s very clever.”
And so the two of them ran off to find Lina, who was in the kitchen secretly eating…
Xu Lingyin blinked her innocent, guileless eyes.
“Master, what are you eating?”
Lina wiped the grease from the corner of her mouth. “Less nonsense. Rules of the jianghu, half each.”
She pointed at the smoked chicken on the plate.
Delighted, Xu Lingyin went over, tore off a chicken leg, then after a moment’s thought tore off the chicken backside too and handed it to Baiji on her head.
The three of them quickly started eating. As she chewed with puffed cheeks, Xu Lingyin said:
“Master, I dreamed about the big bug again.”
Lina’s attention was entirely on the smoked chicken, and she casually asked:
“What big bug?”
Xu Lingyin said:
“The Gu God…”
…The piece of chicken in Lina’s hand dropped to the floor. Her pupils widened slightly as she stared blankly at Xu Lingyin. After quite a while, she lowered her voice and said:
“It taught you how to fight again?”
Xu Lingyin shook her head. “It just talked to me.”
“What did it say?” Lina demanded loudly.
Xu Lingyin tilted her head and tried very hard to remember, then announced:
“I forgot!”
“You idiot!” Lina felt as though a mouthful of old blood had clogged her chest.
She had been clever since childhood, so how had she ended up taking on such a stupid disciple?
Without another word, Lina grabbed Xu Lingyin by the wrist and rushed out the door.
Baiji happily watched their departing backs, then pounced on the table and gnawed at the smoked chicken.
It’s all mine now~
…
Inside the imperial palace, by the clear-water pond in the imperial garden, Huaiqing wore a plum-coloured palace dress and sat on a slab of green rock. Beneath the hem of her skirt, a pair of fair, well-proportioned calves were exposed, with both feet soaking in the clear rippling water.
A small table stood beside her, bearing wine and fruit.
Xu Qi’an sat in the pavilion behind her, racking his brains over the Go board before him.
Huaiqing put a slice of peeled sweet melon into her bright red mouth, ate it unhurriedly, and smiled.
“The spring scenery is excellent. It’s perfect for soaking one’s feet and admiring the flowers. Silver Gong Xu, come and sit with we. No need to trouble yourself over the board.”
Who are you looking down on… Xu Qi’an flatly refused.
“I’ll definitely think of a way to break this deadlock.”
”…”
Huaiqing simply ignored him.
After a while, the female Emperor said teasingly:
“I heard from the Holy Son that your Xu residence is in utter chaos.”
Without even raising his head, Xu Qi’an stared at the Go board and smiled.
“There are a lot of people in the residence now, so of course there are little conflicts and little frictions. How could it be perfectly harmonious? Oh, by the way, give me a copy of those name lists Prime Minister Qian gave you. I saw that some of those young noblemen were quite decent. I can use them to find Lingyue a husband.”
Huaiqing gave an “Oh”.
“Xu Lingyue really ought to marry. If you’ve taken a fancy to any family’s young master, we can bestow a marriage.”
Xu Qi’an curled his lip.
“I was planning to use that list to scare her. That girl’s been terribly overbearing at home lately. After suppressing my mother, she moved on to suppressing Lin’an. I need to make her rein herself in a bit.”
Huaiqing laughed.
“Once Erlang and Simu are married, it’ll be even livelier. Tell me, when the time comes, will they each fight on their own, or form an alliance with one another?”
“Who knows!”
Xu Qi’an pictured it for a moment. It gave him a headache, but also made him a little expectant. That scene would definitely be more entertaining than anything in the Goulan’s opera performances.
Thinking of watching a show suddenly reminded him of his disciple Miao Youfang.
“Miao Youfang’s in the imperial guards, right?”
Huaiqing nodded.
Miao Youfang was now a commander in the Imperial Guard camp, Second Infantry Battalion, already holding a high position.
She was training Xu Ningyan’s disciple as a trusted confidant.
“Throw him into latrine-scrubbing duty for a month,” Xu Qi’an said.
Just as he was speaking, a eunuch in azure robes hurried over, stopped outside the pavilion, and called out loudly:
“Silver Gong Xu, someone has come from your residence with a message, informing you to return at once.”
…
The Xu residence.
In the study, Xu Qi’an stared sternly at Little Pea.
Little Pea stared sternly at the pastries on the table.
“You forgot what the Gu God told you?”
“Big bwother, can I eat them…”
…Xu Qi’an sighed.
“Eat them.”
As Xu Lingyin walked over to the table to take a pastry, he flicked a finger against the back of her neck and activated the beast-controlling power of the Heart Gu.
Whether it was the Sevenfold Gu within his own body, or the embryonic form of the Sevenfold Gu at the back of Little Pea’s neck, both could be regarded as a “bridge” for communicating with the Gu God. It was just that the former was being suppressed, so the Gu God couldn’t casually transmit its thoughts or descend.
But the “embryonic” Sevenfold Gu on Little Pea’s body posed no such restriction to the Gu God.
What he now wanted to do was use Little Pea as a medium to reconnect with the Gu God and hear what nonsense it had been babbling about.
In an instant, boundless darkness appeared before Xu Qi’an’s eyes, pure and endless.
Within the darkness, a pair of blood-red eyes emerged and silently met his gaze.
“Autumn Dew…”
“If not turned to Gu, the great calamity cannot be escaped…”
The blood-red eyes slowly closed, and the darkness shattered with them.
Xu Qi’an opened his eyes, his brows furrowed.
Autumn Dew… If not turned to Gu, the great calamity cannot be escaped… What does that mean? What’s the Gu God trying to say?
He immediately took out the Earth Book fragment and sent a message:
【THREE: Everyone, just now the Gu God conveyed two sentences to me through Lingyin, but I don’t quite understand them.】
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