Gu Yuye entered the White Horse Temple to hold a private conversation with Princess Prajna. From last night until today, only six hours had passed.
However, since this negotiation with Princess Prajna was to turn an enemy into an ally, it was necessary to show complete sincerity, so he did not bring any subordinates with him.
Moreover, today was the Qionglin Banquet. He was certain that Gu Fangchen would be preparing with full vigilance, relying on an imperial decree from Emperor Yong'an, and thus would not cause any new trouble.
After all, Gu Fangchen had entered the Purple Extremity Hall and was later seen riding a white crane through the streets, everything about him screamed that he was showing off his victory.
Because of that, Gu Yuye lowered his guard within his own residence.
After all, this was his territory, what could possibly go wrong?
He had no idea that from the very beginning, Gu Fangchen had never expected Emperor Yong'an to protect him at all.
Gu Yuye rushed back to the prince's manor and saw chaos everywhere. His face darkened as he strode quickly toward the princess's courtyard.
Gu Lianqian, dressed in a crimson robe, stood there staring at the empty room, disbelief written all over her face.
Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned around immediately, her face contorted with distress.
"Father!"
"This morning, I saw Mother playing the zither in the courtyard. She looked sorrowful, so I didn't disturb her."
"But just now, a maid went in and got no response. Only then did we realize, the sound of the zither was an illusion!"
"When we came in, the whole courtyard was already empty!"
It truly was empty.
Ning Caiyong's courtyard was always arranged with tranquil elegance; the pond, the rock garden, and a flowering tree complemented each other perfectly.
Beneath the tree stood a guqin. In the past, it was a beautiful sight, an elegant woman smiling as she played, waiting for her husband to return. Now, petals had fallen across the instrument, and the bench was empty.
A scene of melancholy and solitude.
Everyone Gu Fangchen had brought was gone along with the princess.
Even Xuexiang, the maid who had just been assigned to attend Gu Fangchen, had left with them.
Gu Yuye glanced around and quickly found that the array's core lay in the guqin itself. His expression grew darker.
"The Xiyin Attendant used an illusion array. For a Martial Saint to smuggle away a few people under the noses of the entire residence, it's hardly a challenge."
He had believed that while that wretched boy was summoned to the palace, he could go to the White Horse Temple to persuade Princess Prajna and catch Gu Fangchen off guard.
But instead, the boy used his public spectacle at the Qionglin Banquet to seize all attention, and sent Ning Caiyong away right under his nose.
"Ha... hahahahaha!"
Gu Yuye first let out a self-mocking chuckle, then burst into furious laughter.
After hearing from his subordinates about what had happened at the Qionglin Banquet, including the illusion cast by the Yin-Yang Jade Marrow, he finally pieced together Gu Fangchen's plan.
"So that's why he dared to reveal his identity!"
"The one who caused chaos at the banquet was indeed Gu Fangchen, but the people who followed him were two illusions indistinguishable from reality."
"The ones who left with Caiyong, the Martial Saint and the Xiyin Attendant, those were the real ones. With their testimony, it will prove he left Huangtian City last night and never attended the banquet at all."
"The Gu Fangchen at the banquet was truly a demon cult impostor. Whatever was asked or confessed there doesn't count for anything."
"True and false, false and true... Excellent! Truly excellent!"
At that moment, he couldn't help but think,
If this Gu Fangchen were truly his son, then the title of 'Saint of War' would truly have a worthy successor!
Unfortunately...
"Unfortunately... he isn't."
Within the courtyard, Gu Yuye silently approached the guqin and brushed the petals off its strings.
For a long time, Gu Lianqian thought her father was grieving. She opened her mouth to comfort him,
But then she heard the Northern Garrison Prince murmur softly:
"Caiyong... have you truly chosen to stand against me, for that little bastard?"
The coldness in his voice sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
She parted her lips, but Gu Yuye turned around and said faintly:
"Lianqian, take some men and go after them."
"Stop your mother's carriage. I want to see for myself whether that boy is really inside."
He placed his hand on her shoulder and sighed deeply.
"Try to persuade your mother. She'll listen to you."
Gu Lianqian nodded rapidly, like a pecking chick. "Yes! I'll go right away!"
She heard the weariness and helplessness in her father's tone, and convinced herself that what she'd sensed earlier must have been a mistake.
Otherwise,
Why would she have heard, in her father's words,
Killing intent?
...
Gu Fangchen plopped down on the ground, waiting for the Toothsmith to finish forging the counterfeit "Lotus Concealed in the Womb."
The sound of hammering rang without pause.
He looked up and saw a massive barrier stretching across the sky.
It looked like a vast ink painting, covered with countless names that were still increasing even now.
He was now in the wilderness of Qi'an Province, one of the six northern provinces.
It was also the one closest to the southwest.
But the North was still the North, and from here, one could see what the Confucian Saint Xie Qian had created long ago: "Half the Rivers and Mountains."
That enormous scroll of ink filled with names,
Was "Half the Rivers and Mountains."
Those names were not random. They were the names of all the Great Wei soldiers who had perished in the war against the Qingman.
No matter their rank, their kill count, or their status.
Their bodies had perished and their souls scattered, yet their names would forever remain within this "Half the Rivers and Mountains."
Or rather, it was these men, who sacrificed themselves for Great Wei, who truly were the "Half the Rivers and Mountains."
Gu Fangchen raised his head, staring up at the vast scroll of names, unable to speak for a long time.
When he first saw this scene in the game, countless players had been deeply shaken.
No matter what else the Confucian Saint had done afterward, this one act alone was beyond reproach.
In a world where the strong had ruled and the weak were trampled for thousands of years, he had made countless ordinary men worthy of being looked up to by the powerful.
For that alone, he was worthy of being called a Saint.
Now, seeing it with his own eyes, Gu Fangchen felt that shock all over again.
It was easy to imagine how deeply the people of this world revered the Confucian Saint.
But what he was about to do next would not be swayed by that.
To reach the true good ending, overthrowing the rule of the Confucian Way was an essential step.
Otherwise, the world would simply swing to the opposite extreme, and even more people would die.
He was living here now, being good to this world was being good to himself. The two were not in conflict.
Still, he wasn't a player now. He only had one life. He couldn't afford to be reckless.
At the Qionglin Banquet, he had pulled out the tooth of "Discipline," making himself the enemy of the entire Confucian Way. Thus, he had decisively thrown the blame onto the demon cult, otherwise, even with the emperor's backing, there'd be no escape.
Gu Fangchen closed his eyes.
The most important things now were twofold: first, to strengthen his power; second, to head toward Sword Pavilion and reunite with Ning Caiyong and the others.
This body could not cultivate.
But wasn't that convenient?
Now that he'd found the Toothsmith, he could forge another "Lotus Concealed in the Womb."
The only problem was, where could he find a tooth valuable enough to match?
Gu Fangchen opened his eyes and looked toward the other side of "Half the Rivers and Mountains."
That was the battlefield between Great Wei and the Qingman.
...
In the southwest provinces.
Ning Caiyong lifted the carriage curtain and looked toward Qingjian, who was driving at the front, worry etched on her face.
"Attendant, do you think Chen'er will really make it?"
Qingjian replied,
"The young master said he was heading to Qi'an Province, one of the six northern provinces. If all goes well, he should arrive within three days."
Another little head popped out and chirped,
"The heir will definitely be fine!"
Ning Caiyong reached out and stroked Xuexiang's hair with a gentle smile.
"Yes, he'll definitely be fine."