"Perhaps?" Ouyang Qinglin's lips curved into a sinister smile.
"It must be that your subordinate saw incorrectly!"
"Hmm, in that case, continue to follow. This National Preceptor wishes to see if this Gu Qianying can truly turn the Dong Sheng Kingdom upside down."
"Yes, this subordinate understands."
"Furthermore, inform those people over there that the plan is to be implemented ahead of schedule. However, on that day, everyone within and outside the city may die, but Gu Qianying alone must not be touched by anyone!"
"Yes, Master."
Gu Qianying traveled with several people. After passing through a small town, they settled in an inn.
Gu Qianying and Lu Zhu shared a room, while Duan Xifeng and Du Chun shared another. Gu Yi, Gu Yefeng, and Nangong Li, whose hands were bound, shared a third.
"Lord Yang, you are my father's imperial guard. How can you associate with these people?"
Nangong Li glared at Gu Yefeng. Gu Yefeng was still wearing a purple robe. Since he had been impersonating Yang Ze, he had not shown any flaws, but his daily habits had undergone subtle changes. Nangong Li, of course, did not notice this.
"His Majesty ordered this subordinate to find the treasure for him."
Hearing this, Nangong Li was shocked. "What? Treasure? What treasure? Where?"
Gu Yefeng frowned, finding Nangong Li too noisy. He raised his hand and unceremoniously struck Nangong Li on the back of the neck.
Before he fainted, Nangong Li wanted to curse, "Damn it!"
Beside him, Gu Yi, who was tidying his belongings, looked at the "heroic" Lord Yang. He quickly turned and poured Gu Yefeng a cup of hot tea to calm his anger.
As night fell, the room was dimly lit by candlelight.
Gu Qianying, Duan Xifeng, and the others sat around a table.
"Everyone, take a look. This is the treasure map in my hand, and the location it points to is somewhere we have never been."
As she spoke, Gu Qianying passed the treasure map to everyone. Seeing the directions and locations marked on it, some were surprised, while others frowned.
"The land of the Imperial Qiong Ling Mountain?"
Gu Yi spoke first. Gu Qianying nodded at him. Gu Yi, drawing on his past knowledge from books, continued, "According to ancient records, the Empire is the most powerful of the Four Kingdoms. To reach it, one must pass through Xi Xia and Bei Ling, and the Wu Yin Mountain is the necessary path to the Empire. However, along the way, one needs to obtain the transit permits from the two small kingdoms of Xi Xia and Bei Ling.
"Furthermore, I also read in ancient books that the people of Wu live around Wu Yin Mountain, and their Wu arts are very powerful. Even if we can successfully pass through the small kingdoms of Xi Xia and Bei Ling, Wu Yin Mountain is very difficult to conquer. The Wu people there have guarded Wu Yin Mountain for generations. For hundreds of years, no one has ever ascended Wu Yin Mountain. Anyone who approaches it is sure to die."
As he spoke, Gu Yi picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup. After drinking it quickly, he added, "Therefore, this journey is extremely perilous." He turned to Gu Qianying, "Qianying, have you thought it through?"
Gu Qianying looked at everyone and asked, "This question should not be asked of me, but rather, I should ask all of you. Have you all thought it through? This journey is dangerous, and you might even lose your lives. If any of you wish to turn back, I will not force you."
Du Chun leaned back in his chair and said nonchalantly, "In life, can everything go smoothly? Without some interesting challenges, life would be dull."
His attitude was clear.
"Turn back? I'm not turning back! I want to see what this treasure is that is so hard to obtain!" Duan Xifeng snatched the teapot from beside Gu Yi and drank a large gulp directly from it.
"I am of the same mind!"
Gu Yefeng's concise four words also conveyed his stance.
After asking a second time, Gu Qianying no longer wasted words.
She revealed her true strength to everyone.
A signal whistle blew, and two masked men in green robes flipped through the window. They approached Gu Qianying and knelt on one knee, "Greetings, Sect Master."
Gu Qianying looked at them. "Have you obtained the items?"
The two men in green robes took out what they had hidden in their sleeves and presented them with both hands.
Gu Qianying took them and turned, placing them on the table.
Everyone looked and was stunned. Someone exclaimed, "Are these the transit permits of the two small kingdoms of Xi Xia and Bei Ling?"
Gu Qianying nodded and gestured. The two men in green then left.
At this moment, everyone looked at Gu Qianying, seemingly surprised by how she managed to obtain the transit permits for Xi Xia and Bei Ling.
Among them, only Duan Xifeng found this operation quite normal.
"Our Poison Doctor Saint Hall is a century-old renowned establishment. Our disciples are everywhere, even in Xi Xia and Bei Ling, we have clinics and disciples. Therefore, these small transit permits are a piece of cake for our Sect Master."
After speaking, Duan Xifeng took another sip of tea and shoved the empty teapot into Gu Yi's hand.
Gu Yi was speechless, but at the moment, he was both worried and relieved by Gu Qianying's capabilities.
The higher one stands, the more they will be envied. Envy can make people lose their minds and become crazy, and such people are the most dangerous.
Du Chun glanced at Duan Xifeng, then at Gu Qianying. His gaze lingered on Gu Qianying's face for a long time, unspoken.
Gu Yefeng, on the other hand, was filled with excitement and heartache.
For his sister to possess such strength, she must have paid a great price.
A young lady who should have been pampered and protected at home, living such a difficult life, made him feel very distressed.
With the transit permits in hand,
Gu Qianying discussed the upcoming route with Duan Xifeng and Du Chun, then returned to her room to rest.
On the road, Yan Kuan, the young minister of the Dali Temple, who had been rescued by Gu Qianying's people, also arrived to rendezvous with everyone after two days of rushing.
He was arranged to stay in the same room as Gu Yefeng and Du Chun.
Covered in dust, upon his arrival, he had no time to speak more than a few words with Gu Qianying before turning and falling asleep with his pillow.
Under the vast starry sky, with the moon casting a hazy glow,
Gu Qianying pushed open the door and stepped out, gazing into the distance.
A gentle breeze blew, and Lu Zhu quickly ran out of the room, draping an outer robe over Gu Qianying.
"Miss, can't sleep?"
Gu Qianying remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the distance. She seemed lost in thought, and Lu Zhu dared not ask, accompanying her cautiously.
After an unknown amount of time, Gu Qianying turned to Lu Zhu and said with pursed lips, "I miss Mother."
The excuse she had casually fabricated that day was just that, but today was her mother's actual birthday.
Lu Zhu was slightly stunned. At this moment, she had no idea that the First Madam was actually still alive.
"Miss, don't be too sad. Let the past be the past. Your maidservant believes that even if the First Madam were here, she wouldn't want to see you so unhappy."
Lu Zhu didn't know how to comfort her young lady. With the Madam gone, her young lady was the most heartbroken, and it was natural for her to miss her often.
"Lu Zhu, do you have a family?"
She had not told anyone about her mother, not even her elder brother or grandfather. Therefore, everyone else, except for Duan Xifeng and her master, believed that her mother was already dead.
Even so, she did not want to announce that her mother was still alive too soon, just for her mother's safety.
"Your maidservant... your maidservant is an orphan. My parents are long gone." As she said this, Lu Zhu's lips trembled slightly.
Gu Qianying looked at her and suddenly grasped her hand. "It's alright. From now on, you will have an elder sister."
Hearing Gu Qianying's words, Lu Zhu's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She was deeply moved.
It was at this moment that she truly regarded the woman before her as the person closest to her in this world.
Many years later, until her identity was exposed, and she was forced to leave this peaceful land to return to her rightful place and bear the responsibilities she was meant to shoulder, she would still remember the person who had treated her so sincerely.
"Your maidservant is unworthy, how can I be compared to Miss..." Lu Zhu's voice trembled slightly.
"Why not? You can. If I say you can, then you can," Gu Qianying interrupted Lu Zhu's words, insisting on her stance.
"Thank you, Miss."
Lu Zhu didn't know what else to say at this moment.
"I'm sleepy, let's go back." Gu Qianying tightened the outer robe on her and turned around.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed past Lu Zhu, blocking Gu Qianying's path. He pointed his long sword at Gu Qianying and said, "Why are you doing this to me? Why?"