Chapter 11
This night full of danger and secrets was fortunately not discovered by others.
On her way back, Yu Sui relied on the Strange Fire's heat to evaporate the moisture from her body, showing no signs of having fallen into water twice.
This area was originally close to the General's Manor. Zhongli Que ran back through the back door gasping for breath. The maid who opened the door was her mother's trusted confidant, helping to cover for her throughout.
When Yu Sui returned to Juxian Tower, Sheng Hao was looking for her everywhere, nearly turning the entire tower upside down. Seeing her return from outside with her head drooping, he suppressed his temper and asked where she had gone.
"I wanted to eat those grilled meatballs." Yu Sui gestured with her hands, looking pitiful. "But Juxian Tower didn't have any, so I went out to buy some. I searched for a long time but couldn't find them."
Sheng Hao was nearly infuriated to the point of fainting. The young men nearby all thought he would angrily scold the little princess and were ready to rescue Yu Sui the moment he opened his mouth.
But Sheng Hao just glared fiercely at Yu Sui, muttered a few complaints, and let it pass.
Yu Sui returned to the manor without incident, lying in bed recalling the night's events, unable to sleep all night.
It seemed many people knew the news that the Agricultural School's treasure Breath Soil was in her body.
They had been lurking in the imperial capital, monitoring her from afar. If not for the manor's guards, they would have swarmed her long ago.
If extracting Breath Soil required killing her, then Nangong Ming keeping her alive and not letting Lady Su obtain the complete Breath Soil was also a means of controlling Lady Su.
But would Lady Su remain passive forever?
She should also be very unwilling.
Yu Sui opened her eyes again, spreading her palm to look at the small flame burning in her palm.
If she hadn't remembered that Zhongli Que was still in the water and hadn't gone to save her, she definitely would have walked toward the burning Strange Fire.
It truly was the most powerful force on this continent, so powerful it could influence others' will.
Yu Sui recalled the old man's words before his death, and couldn't help asking herself:
Could I do it?
Something like destroying the world.
Letting Strange Fire burn and devour the entire continent, burning the gardenia flowers she had planted by hand in her courtyard, burning her several elder brothers to death, Zhongli Que, the strange men and women in tonight's busy streets, burning everyone to death.
Could I do it?
Strange Fire wouldn't be satisfied with her only burning the people and things she wanted to burn.
What it wanted to devour and destroy was the entire Xuangu Continent.
Heaven, earth, all things, everything.
Yu Sui stared at the swaying flame in her palm until dawn.
When faint light entered the room, she decided to go to Taiyi Academy, to find what the old man spoke of, the Tianzi Texts that could rid her of Strange Fire.
……
With a goal, Yu Sui began paying attention to all news about Taiyi Academy.
The National Academy's curriculum was becoming increasingly difficult, with more and more physical training classes.
Zhongli Que couldn't learn these, only secretly looking at her Wind-Listening Ruler at night. Yu Sui would tell her some techniques and key points.
Yu Sui would also go to Gu Qian's study, sending information about divination and prophecy to Zhongli Que.
These two years, Gu Qian was away from the imperial capital for longer periods, often gone for months at a time. Yu Sui used the excuse of "missing" Brother Gu to go to Gu Qian's house to clean up miscellaneous items for him, trim flowers and grass, and "think of him while seeing his belongings" in the study.
Nangong Ming was quite happy for her to have a close relationship with Gu Qian. When Gu Qian caused trouble in the imperial capital and it was inconvenient for Nangong Ming to intervene personally, he would have Yu Sui resolve it.
Yu Sui was Gu Qian's backing for walking sideways through the imperial capital.
Every time Gu Qian returned from outside, he would bring Yu Sui gifts, from gold and silver jewelry to interesting trinkets, or the four treasures of the study, longbows and swords, everything.
As long as he thought Yu Sui would like it, he would bring it back for her.
Gu Qian would go to places where Wind-Listening Rulers couldn't transmit messages to Qingyang's imperial capital. The two couldn't rely on Wind-Listening Rulers to know each other's situation. Yu Sui didn't know what he was doing outside or when he would return.
This evening, Yu Sui was cleaning up flower trees broken by last night's wind and rain in Gu Qian's small courtyard, working until very late. After all, if you're going to put on an act, do it thoroughly.
The courtyard gate suddenly burst open from outside. A youth in only white undergarments hurried in, carrying an unconscious girl on his back who was draped in his blue robe.
Yu Sui, who was sweeping fallen flowers on the ground, was startled: "Brother Gu?"
"Sui Sui, it's good you're here." Seeing her, Gu Qian was slightly surprised, then relieved. He said urgently: "People from the Communication Courtyard will find this place soon. Help me stall them."
Yu Sui stood in place, blinking as she watched him carry someone into the house, responding with an "oh" after a while.
Quite a few people came from the Communication Courtyard, bringing imperial capital guards in dark military uniforms, majestic and solemn with an inherent oppressive aura. The adults were all a head taller than her. Yu Sui stood at the courtyard gate, gently rubbing her somewhat cool arms.
Unluckily, the person who came was an acquaintance.
It was the patrol guard who had once taught Yu Sui fill-character formulas and stellar positioning at the National Academy. Several years had passed, he had been promoted and was no longer at the Academy.
The current Director of the Communication Five Elements Courtyard, Li Xiang, raised his hand, signaling others to stop, and bowed to Yu Sui standing ahead: "Princess."
The girl standing at the courtyard gate said crisply: "Director Li, what a coincidence. So late at night, what are you doing here?"
Li Xiang looked up at the small courtyard behind Yu Sui, his expression somewhat hesitant: "Someone robbed a prisoner from the Communication Courtyard. This prisoner had attempted to invade Qingyang's communication courtyard hub, suspected to be a spy from another nation."
"I see." Yu Sui raised her hand to press down hair lifted by the night wind, smiling with curved eyes: "I came to clean up miscellaneous items in the small courtyard. Last night's wind and rain were too strong, the flower trees inside are all crooked. It might take a long time to clean up."
The people behind Li Xiang showed various expressions, understanding Yu Sui's meaning. Though somewhat unwilling, wanting to step forward, they were stopped by Li Xiang's glance.
"In that case, we won't disturb the Princess." Li Xiang hesitated no more and decisively left.
He didn't want to oppose the troublesome Prince Nangong's manor.
Only after Li Xiang and the others had gone far did Yu Sui turn and push open the courtyard gate to enter.
She had just reached the door when she heard a crisp slap from inside. A girl said angrily and shamefully: "You rogue! You actually undressed me!"
Gu Qian inside rubbed his slapped face, sneering: "Your eyes only see me undressing you, can't see me forcing the poison out for you?"
The girl said angrily: "I never asked you to save me!"
"Fine, then get up and leave quickly. I don't want to be implicated by you." Gu Qian said and walked away.
Yu Sui at the door stepped back two steps. Gu Qian came out, his eyes still carrying residual anger, half his face burning with pain, the red finger marks very obvious.
This girl looked like she was dying from injury, but had quite a lot of strength for hitting people. He really was treating good intentions like donkey liver and lungs. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have gotten involved with such trouble.
Gu Qian grumbled in his heart, nearly colliding with Yu Sui standing at the door. Catching sight of her from the corner of his eye, he controlled his emotions.
"Director Li and the others left." Yu Sui said. "Brother Gu, did you hide a prisoner the Communication Courtyard is pursuing?"
Gu Qian lifted his eyelids: "Don't mention this matter, it's unlucky."
He had originally wanted Yu Sui to check on Xiang Feifei inside, help her apply medicine or something, but then thought that Yu Sui was after all a manor princess, pampered and spoiled growing up. How would she know how to care for people? So he kept the words to himself.
"Come on, haven't you eaten dinner? Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you." Gu Qian led Yu Sui toward the small kitchen.
Yu Sui followed behind him, reciting as they walked: "Vine pepper meatballs, meat sandwiches, lean meat porridge..."
"Tomorrow, I'll make them tomorrow." Gu Qian pushed open the kitchen door. "Tonight eat something light. I'll cook you a bowl of noodles with two eggs."
Yu Sui stood at the door, drawing out her "oh."
"I'll continue sweeping the courtyard then," she said.
Gu Qian stuck his head out the window: "What are you sweeping? Leave it, I'll sweep later."
Yu Sui took the broom and turned a circle on the ground. A black shadow suddenly leaped onto the courtyard wall, flipping down gracefully, landing right in front of her.
"Gu Qian! Did you bring people and run first, leaving me alone to clean up? Are we brothers or not?!" An angry youth who had climbed over the wall came to argue with Gu Qian. After rushing forward two steps and seeing Yu Sui, he immediately became tongue-tied: "S-sorry, I think I went to the wrong place. Is this Prince Nangong's manor wall?"
Yu Sui looked at him in surprise.
Ji Meng, the youngest son of Chief Ji of the Imperial Medical Academy. They were in the same group that entered the National Academy for study.
Because of his status as an illegitimate son, Ji Meng was often bullied by other children early on. It was Gu Qian who fell out with those noble young masters to save him. Yu Sui often saw Ji Meng playing with Gu Qian.
Because of her third brother's relationship, Ji Meng wasn't familiar with her.
"You're slow yourself, how is that my fault?" Gu Qian stuck his head out again. "Hurry up and take the person away, save me the trouble of leaving her here to cause problems."
Ji Meng looked over: "Didn't you bring her back yourself?"
Gu Qian sneered: "She's poisoned. Go take a look, don't let her die at my place."
Ji Meng scratched his head: "I'm a man, that's not appropriate, is it?"
He was afraid of also getting slapped.
From the corner of his eye, Ji Meng looked at Yu Sui. Isn't there a princess here?
Gu Qian glared at him: "Go quickly."
Ji Meng took bottles and jars into the house.
The poisoned Xiang Feifei had long since fainted from exhaustion. Ji Meng looked at her injuries, which were indeed quite severe, so he concentrated on cleaning her wounds and poison, then applied medicine.
Yu Sui sat at the table eating noodles. By the time she finished, Ji Meng still hadn't come out. Gu Qian had gone in to check midway, coming out without anger, so it should be fine.
Gu Qian walked to sit across from the table, folding his hands and resting his chin on his arms, lying down to watch Yu Sui eat noodles.
"Do you want some?" Yu Sui lifted a chopstick of noodles toward him.
"You eat." Gu Qian said. "I just like watching you eat."
Yu Sui smiled with curved eyes and continued eating with her head down.
Gu Qian asked her: "You won't need to go to the National Academy next year. Have you decided where to cultivate next?"
Yu Sui didn't look up: "Haven't decided. Where will you go, Brother Gu?"
Gu Qian said: "I'll definitely go to Taiyi."
Yu Sui: "Then I also want to go to Taiyi."
Gu Qian couldn't help laughing: "Why do you go wherever I go?"
Yu Sui lied without blushing: "Because following Brother Gu gives me a sense of security."
Even if she didn't chase after him, Nangong Ming would find every way to throw her beside Gu Qian, making her protect him.
Gu Qian sighed: "I really don't know what to do with you."
The youth still in his voice-changing period had a deep voice, but the helplessness and indulgence in his words were unmistakable.
……
After Yu Sui finished eating noodles, Gu Qian walked her back, but didn't expect to encounter Sheng Hao returning from Taiyi Academy at the gate.
Eighteen-year-old Sheng Hao was much taller than the two of them, and had lost his childish air. That sharp arrogance was firmly embedded in his eyebrows and eyes.
He had completely inherited his father Nangong Ming's appearance, but had a completely opposite temperament from Nangong Ming.
The father was gentle and feminine.
The son was exposed thorns, sarcastically evil.
Seeing the two return late at night, Sheng Hao's anger flared. He glanced at Yu Sui: "Aren't you coming over quickly?"
Yu Sui walked toward the gate. Gu Qian grabbed her wrist and fastened a string of golden jade bracelet on her wrist: "Aren't you afraid of heat? This is South Country jade that can cool and refresh. You won't need to stay by the Liu Dan Jade Stone to beat the heat in summer."
Giving such a thing in front of Sheng Hao, Yu Sui didn't need to guess that these two would definitely fight later.
But she didn't care about that, touching the bracelet and smiling: "Thank you, Brother Gu. I'll go back first!"
As soon as Yu Sui reached the gate, Sheng Hao grabbed her and quietly removed the golden jade bracelet from her wrist, then threw it to Gu Qian.
"Daring to wear any dirty thing on your hand." Sheng Hao snorted coldly, grabbing Yu Sui: "What did I tell you before? I told you not to associate with this waste."
Yu Sui didn't know if it was because there were too many geniuses at Taiyi Academy with too much competition, but Sheng Hao seemed increasingly irritable and violent. Every time he came back, he seemed unhappy, and he would explode at the slightest provocation regarding her and Gu Qian.
She had also considered getting information about Taiyi Academy from Sheng Hao, but his temper was terrible and he didn't want to mention it at all.
"Third Brother." Yu Sui called quietly. Gu Qian stepped forward to take Yu Sui away from Sheng Hao's side. Battle was about to erupt. The moment Gu Qian extended his hand, Sheng Hao threw Yu Sui behind him. Invisible air currents clashed between the two men, creating waves.
Yu Sui staggered to stand steady, looking up to see the two had already started fighting.
Both their Five Elements Light Cores were operating.
Any supernatural arts required the maintenance of "qi." Five Elements was the operational form of innate qi, obtaining "innate qi" from heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and all things, transforming it into personal power forms to support the concrete existence of supernatural arts.
Each school had different methods for circulating innate qi in cultivation.
But fundamentally they were the same. When Yu Sui first encountered these, she felt that Nine Schools cultivation was as Taoists said: One gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things.
Heaven and earth were one.
Innate qi was two.
Five Elements was this three.
But Taoist disciples' cultivation would treat one as "Dao" rather than heaven and earth.
Sheng Hao had entered the School of Names and now had cultivation at the Seventh Realm. Gu Qian hadn't entered any school for cultivation, but his Five Elements Light Core had also reached the Fourth Realm.
The two didn't use supernatural arts, relying entirely on pure martial arts techniques. When their fist winds intersected, drawing qi to clash, the air current waves swept horizontally, making Yu Sui's face hurt.
The moment Gu Qian exchanged punches with Sheng Hao, he was repelled. A qi backflow rushed to his heart, seeming to shatter his internal organs. After two breaths, Gu Qian couldn't stabilize. His Five Elements qi burst, sending him flying again.
Just as Gu Qian was about to crash into the wall, Nangong Ming, returning from outside, extended one hand from the carriage. With a light wave, he dispelled the Five Elements qi attached to Gu Qian, allowing him to stabilize and stand properly.
"What are you doing?"
Nangong Ming got down from the carriage, his expression unfriendly.
Sheng Hao's eyes moved slightly. He snorted coldly, turned his head away, and walked into the manor with Yu Sui.
"Sheng Hao." Nangong Ming called sternly, then looked at Gu Qian. Seeing he was fine, he walked inside.
That night Yu Sui escaped unscathed with nothing happening to her.
Sheng Hao wasn't so lucky. He was scolded by Nangong Ming, and because he defiantly talked back and argued with Nangong Ming, he was slapped from a distance.
Watching Sheng Hao get slapped, Yu Sui inexplicably felt a bit happy. Finally, she wasn't the only one getting hit.
Nangong Ming called her out, so Yu Sui obediently went out. Probably the scene of father beating son would be too violent for her to see.
After Yu Sui left, someone notified Lady Sheng, who hurriedly rushed over to take Sheng Hao away, saving him from many more beatings.
Sheng Hao had Lady Sheng as backing, giving him confidence to dare argue with Nangong Ming. Nangong Ming also wouldn't really do anything to him. Setting aside other interests and relationships, Sheng Hao was after all his biological son whom he had watched grow up.
Yu Sui was different.
Setting aside watching her grow up, to Nangong Ming, she was only a chess piece involving Lady Su, a tool to protect Gu Qian. If she dared argue with Nangong Ming, she wouldn't have Lady Su to back her up either.
Yu Sui thought this matter would just pass like this.
Who knew that a few days later, when Sheng Hao left the manor to return to Taiyi Academy, seeing Yu Sui wearing the golden jade bracelet, he directly exploded, having a big argument with Yu Sui in front of Lady Su.
It could also be called him arguing unilaterally. Yu Sui had a bewildered expression throughout, her responses were words like "what," "Third Brother please calm down first," "it's not like that." Lady Su watched coldly without saying a word.
Finally, Sheng Hao and Yu Sui fell out, beginning a cold war lasting several years.
Yu Sui touched her face. Whatever.
There was no way to manage it.
It seemed as long as Gu Qian was still alive, Sheng Hao wouldn't be satisfied.
Sheng Hao didn't come home often, no longer sent her messages, and when they met at home, he would treat her coldly without saying a word.
Elder Brother Han Bing had already left Taiyi Academy to gain experience in remote vassal states. Second Brother Su Feng was cultivating at the Military School's Chongtai, also rarely returning home. When he occasionally returned, he would play with Sheng Hao, as he also didn't like seeing Gu Qian.
The better Yu Sui's relationship with Gu Qian became, the more distant her relationships with her brothers at home grew.
The next year, when Gu Qian turned sixteen, he went to Taiyi Academy.
Before leaving, he said to Yu Sui: "I'll go scout the path first. When you come, it'll be my turn to protect you."
Yu Sui smiled: "Great."
On a moonlit night like water, fireflies danced in the roadside grass.
Gu Qian walked forward no more than two steps before turning back, his expression serious: "Sui Sui."
Yu Sui responded: "Yes!"
Gu Qian looked at her for a long time, finally shaking his head, smiling dashingly with raised eyebrows, waving and turning: "I'm leaving, go back."
Yu Sui watched until he disappeared into the thick night.
……
In her sixteenth year, she couldn't go to Taiyi Academy because practitioners still couldn't detect any talent compatible with any school from her.
Yu Sui also couldn't suddenly become smart enough for Nangong Ming to agree to send her to Taiyi Academy.
So she created an image for Nangong Ming and others of suddenly becoming studious and hardworking, claiming she wanted to go be with Gu Qian.
Nangong Ming was satisfied with her awakening, though somewhat dissatisfied with her talent.
It happened that war broke out again within Qingyang Kingdom that year. Nangong Ming became busy, often away from the imperial capital, with no time to worry about his daughter's talent problems.
Even Lady Su was often nowhere to be seen.
Without these two watching, Yu Sui had much more freedom.
It wasn't until her eighteenth year, after the war subsided and Nangong Ming returned from outside, that on the night of his return to the manor, he called Yu Sui and told her, "I've paid a huge tuition fee to Taiyi Academy. You'll depart for Taiyi tomorrow."
Before Yu Sui could guess why her stingy father had suddenly changed his ways and begun supporting his daughter's dreams, she heard Nangong Ming continue: "You go to Taiyi to cooperate with Gu Qian, clear obstacles for him, and help him obtain the Floating Pagoda."
Nangong Ming turned to look at the child who had grown up before him.
Her eyebrows and eyes resembled her mother Lady Su, but she lacked Lady Su's coldness. Her black pupils flowed with tranquility, lively and charming when she looked up, and she lacked Lady Su's rebelliousness, always obedient and well-behaved toward him.
Nangong Ming said: "This is the first time I'm giving you a task, Sui Sui. You must not disappoint me."
Yu Sui responded and bowed her head, leaving the manor the next day.