All Kinds of Misunderstandings

Although Gu Yuanqing had long suspected as much and did not feel this matter had much to do with him, Prince Qing's words still inexplicably made him feel at ease.

He simply did not know why the Great Gan Imperial Family had done this, or what use there was in concealing it so thoroughly.

He did not ask further. As someone imprisoned here, he had no standing to meddle in royal affairs. Knowing what he wanted to know was enough.

Seeing that Gu Yuanqing did not ask, Prince Qing did not bring it up again. It was hardly a matter of honor and was not suitable for discussion in the first place.

Moreover, both people involved were Grandmasters. Was the truth really as the information he had received claimed? Perhaps there was more beneath the surface.

After chatting for a while, Gu Yuanqing rose to take his leave.

Prince Qing also stood. "I will remain in these mountains for some time. If Young Master Gu has leisure, you may come by anytime and keep this old man company for a chat."

Gu Yuanqing smiled. "This junior bears guilt. Without permission, I cannot even leave the courtyard. How could I come disturb Your Highness?"

Prince Qing took it merely as an excuse and laughed. "Though I am old, I am not yet senile. How could mere soldiers possibly keep watch over a Grandmaster? Young Master Gu and His Majesty must have some other arrangement between them, I presume?"

Gu Yuanqing did not answer. Cupping his hands, he said, "Please remain, Your Highness. This junior shall take his leave."

He casually held his longsword behind his back in a reverse grip, took several steps backward, then turned and was about to leave the room when he suddenly recalled something. Looking back, he said, "Oh, there is one matter this junior nearly forgot."

"Please speak, Young Master Gu."

"This junior has grown accustomed to living in a small courtyard on North Spring Mountain. Since I may continue living there in the future, I do not wish others to set foot inside. I mentioned this to General Chen yesterday, but General Chen said he was not in charge here. Now that Your Highness has come to North Spring Mountain, I presume the one calling the shots here is Your Highness. Could Your Highness grant this small request of mine?"

Prince Qing said, "A small matter. I will make the arrangements. If Young Master Gu finds it uncomfortable staying in the back mountain, you may move back."

"No need. Thank you, Your Highness. I lived in the front for a year, so staying in the back mountain for a while can count as a change of mood. Besides, North Spring Mountain will likely become rather noisy in the days ahead. It will be quieter in the back. Your Highness, this junior shall not disturb you further. Farewell." Gu Yuanqing bowed once more, then turned and left the room.

Prince Qing saw him one step beyond the main hall entrance. "Qin Hu, see Young Master Gu out for me."

The steward hurried over and extended a hand. "This way, Young Master Gu."

Once Gu Yuanqing's figure disappeared, the smile on Prince Qing's face gradually faded. He stood there for a moment before turning back into the hall and taking a seat.

"Your Highness!" The steward who had seen Gu Yuanqing off quickly returned to the room.

Prince Qing waved a hand. "Do not worry. He will not die."

"Does Gu Yuanqing... truly have a Grandmaster behind him?" The steward glanced up at the ceiling, terror still lingering in his eyes. Was this what a Grandmaster was? His attacks utterly defied common sense. A sword had flown through the air and come straight at them—as though he had witnessed a myth.

"Our Emperor has hidden himself deeply indeed. I was wondering why he suddenly dispatched this old man here. So he had already left a move in reserve here."

"Did His Majesty not invite Your Highness here because Your Highness is highly respected and could suppress these martial sects?" the steward asked doubtfully.

"I thought so too. But now it seems our Emperor has arranged everything already. This time merely happened to let this old man witness it for himself."

The steward looked somewhat lost, unable to understand what his Prince meant.

Prince Qing did not explain further. He said flatly, "Regarding today's events, have everyone below keep their mouths shut. Do not let them babble outside. Send someone to summon Chen Chuanshan of the Divine Eagle Guard."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Gu Yuanqing returned to the back mountain with the soldiers. Once inside his room, he let out a long breath.

From beginning to end, he had appeared confident and in complete control, yet when Prince Qing made his move, his heart had still tightened.

Leaving aside Prince Qing's cultivation at the peak of the Profound Martial Ninth Layer, he was the Emperor's own uncle—the War God whose fame had once filled the Great Gan Dynasty. If such a figure killed you, nothing would happen. But if you so much as touched a hair on his head, you would likely be unable to remain in Great Gan.

Gu Yuanqing considered himself somewhat capable and resourceful, but he had not reached the point where one man could stand against an entire nation.

"Prince Qing seems to have misunderstood something. That is fine—it saves me quite a bit of trouble. And on North Spring Mountain, it would not be wrong to say that I am a Grandmaster!"

Gu Yuanqing closed his eyes in Mountain Observation. He "saw" the old man working away. With a thought, an invisible pressure descended upon him.

The old man's movements abruptly froze. His face turned ugly beyond measure, and cold sweat began to pour from his forehead and back. He felt all the True Qi in his body freeze within him. In the unseen darkness, he sensed that if he moved even slightly, he would die.

The middle-aged woman beside him, Feng Tao, noticed something was wrong. She patted the old man's shoulder, babbling "ah-ba, ah-ba" while gesturing with her hands.

Gu Yuanqing smiled faintly in his room and withdrew his aura. The old man immediately began gasping for breath in great mouthfuls. He guessed inwardly, Could this Grandmaster be connected to that young master of the Gu Family? That would explain why his cultivation rose so quickly. If a Grandmaster personally taught him, it would naturally make sense. And now, he must have noticed that I possess cultivation and is warning me!

He gestured to Feng Tao that he was fine, then pretended nothing had happened and continued working.

Gu Yuanqing fell into thought. His gaze passed through the obstruction of the mountain and settled on Chen Chuanshan, who was hurrying up the mountain. With a shift of his thoughts, Chen Chuanshan, flying over the treetops, suddenly felt as though a tremendous weight had crushed down on him. He fell straight from the canopy, snapping several branches and leaves before rolling onto the ground.

Seeing this, Gu Yuanqing hurriedly withdrew his thoughts.

Chen Chuanshan instantly regained the ability to move. He slapped a palm against the ground, flipped onto a mountain rock, and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart. One hand seized his longbow, while the other hooked onto the fletching of an arrow in his quiver. In a deep voice, he said, "Which senior is playing this sort of joke on Chen?"

Eh? Gu Yuanqing felt somewhat guilty. He had not expected such a huge commotion. To him, he had merely thought about it; he could not sense at all how that thought affected others.

Chen Chuanshan stood there for a long time without receiving a response. Left with no choice, he gave a cold snort and continued hurrying up the mountain, arriving at Prince Qing's courtyard.

Seeing the dust all over Chen Chuanshan and his somewhat bedraggled state, Prince Qing asked, "Where have you been, General Chen? You look as though you have traveled through wind and dust."

Chen Chuanshan replied, "A senior seems dissatisfied with what this subordinate has been doing lately. While I was on my way here just now, he suddenly played a joke on this subordinate."

Prince Qing was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood who had done this good deed. If he himself had been traveling atop the treetops and suddenly encountered the same state as before, where all inner and outer senses were sealed off, he likely would not have fared much better than Chen Chuanshan.

"Young people truly are young people. Even their thoughts are... rather interesting." Prince Qing laughed despite himself, assuming Gu Yuanqing had been displeased about Chen Chuanshan sending him to the back mountain and had secretly played this little joke.