I Want You to Raise an Army in Rebellion

"Little brother, don't talk nonsense!"

Gu Shu rushed forward and quickly covered Gu Yuan's mouth.

How could he joke about something like that?

If things went badly, all nine of their familial clans could be wiped out!

"Haha, you certainly have a sense of humor, Brother Gu. If you could learn witchcraft, the sun would rise in the west."

Duan Tianya laughed it off.

"Exactly."

Gu Shu breathed a sigh of relief and gave Duan Tianya a grateful look.

"I'm not joking. This really is witchcraft."

Gu Yuan drew a talisman, and the white shadows in the room grew clearer. Faint little figures even began to emerge from them.

!!!

Duan Tianya was dumbfounded.

He had given Gu Yuan a way out, so why wouldn't he take it?

Now look what had happened.

The empress's most favored person had learned witchcraft. What was he supposed to do?

Arrest him or not?

Duan Tianya was caught in a dilemma.

His instincts told him to report it to the empress first...

"Your cultivation technique really is unusual, Brother Gu. I've never seen anything like it. Have any of you?"

The Mystic Shadow Guards looked startled.

"No, we haven't."

"Lord Gu truly deserves to be called the genius Her Majesty the Empress has taken an interest in. To think he possesses such a wondrous ability."

"..."

Gu Yuan curled his lip.

Duan Tianya wasn't keeping his word!

What happened to arresting him and bringing him to justice?

He'd admitted it was witchcraft, and they still wouldn't arrest him?

Forget it. Once they reported it to the empress, surely she'd arrest him?

Learning witchcraft was much the same as rebellion in its nature.

Could the empress tolerate even that?

Gu Yuan wouldn't believe it if it killed him!

"Ahem, Brother Gu, what do these traces mean?"

Duan Tianya changed the subject outright.

Gu Yuan smiled. "Most of them are traces of a struggle. There's nothing special about them."

"But after the heir of Jiaozhou realized he couldn't resist and was bound to die, he left some traces in a few key places."

As soon as he finished speaking, special markings appeared in several of the white shadows.

"This is...!"

Duan Tianya's pupils contracted sharply.

"The emblem of the Shangguan family of Ruzhou!"

"Could Shangguan Ling be the one who killed the heir of Jiaozhou?"

Gu Yuan didn't answer.

According to the plot, Ruzhou and Jiaozhou were on good terms. In fact, Shangguan Lin and the heir of Jiaozhou would secretly become engaged in the future.

Unfortunately, Shangguan Lin lost her life helping Huai'an absorb the True Martial Stone... Otherwise, the two of them should have married.

The chances of Shangguan Lin having killed Long Ye, the heir of Jiaozhou, were extremely slim.

But the plot had changed so much by now that Gu Yuan was somewhat uncertain as well.

"Whether he did it or not, we'll know once we go and see Heir Shangguan."

"Brother Gu, wait until I've returned to the palace and reported to Her Majesty. Then I'll go with you."

Gu Yuan shook his head. "I need to go alone. If you all come along, I won't get any answers."

Everyone was startled.

But when they recalled what Gu Yuan had just done, they understood.

If Shangguan Ling really had killed Long Ye, that was enough to show that either he was a master of witchcraft or there was one behind him. Bringing more people would only cause Gu Yuan trouble.

"In that case, sorry to trouble you with Shangguan Ling, Brother Gu. I'll go have a word with the heir of Qingzhou."

Gu Yuan smiled and nodded.

The reason he wouldn't let anyone go with him was, of course, that he didn't want too many people to know Ruzhou's secret.

If too many people knew, how could he negotiate terms with Shangguan Lin?

"Sister, you and Xiang'er go home first."

Gu Shu nodded and asked quietly, "Little brother, you really haven't practiced that witchcraft, have you?"

"No. I was teasing them."

"Good, as long as you haven't." Gu Shu patted her chest and left with Meixiang.

"Brother Duan, I'll go examine the corpse first, then look for Heir Shangguan."

"Brother Gu, I'll return to the palace and report to Her Majesty the Empress at once."

The imperial palace of Great Qi.

Qi Yueli frowned deeply.

"Witchcraft?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Duan Tianya said slowly. "According to Lord Gu, Long Ye, the heir of Jiaozhou, died from witchcraft."

"He's studied witchcraft too?" Qi Yueli was curious.

Witchcraft was a forbidden art in Great Qi. There were no books recording its inheritance to be found anywhere within Great Qi's borders.

How had Gu Yuan learned it?

Qi Yueli instinctively looked at her legs.

First, there was the supreme black stockings artifact that could be concealed, and now witchcraft.

Gu Yuan always managed to give her a surprise.

"Your Majesty, there is a matter concerning Lord Gu that I do not know how to handle."

"Speak."

"Lord Gu seems to know witchcraft..."

"Mm, I understand."

"Your Majesty, Lord Gu is a genius without equal throughout the ages. Please don't... Huh?"

Duan Tianya froze.

She understood?

Something was wrong with the empress's reaction!

She was that calm?

Shouldn't she have flown into a thunderous rage?

He hadn't even used the long speech he'd prepared to plead for Gu Yuan!

Seeing Duan Tianya's confusion, Qi Yueli said slowly:

"Whether an art is righteous or evil depends on the heart of the person using it."

"Gu Yuan is wholly upright. Do you think witchcraft could corrupt him?"

Hearing this, Duan Tianya suddenly understood.

Indeed.

How could a man who had slain a prince's heir in anger for a woman of lowly status be affected by mere witchcraft?

He had been narrow-minded.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."

"You may go."

"I take my leave."

Qi Yueli sighed.

"I didn't expect witchcraft to reappear after several hundred years."

"There really are quite a few people who want to deal with me!"

"Hmph!"

A trace of killing intent flashed in Qi Yueli's eyes.

But it was quickly suppressed by her dragon qi.

"The evil affliction hasn't been eradicated... I can't put this off any longer. I'll go find Gu Yuan tonight..."

"Hmph!"

"That fellow is getting a bargain!"

"Please inform Heir Shangguan that Gu Yuan requests an audience."

Soon, the courtyard gate opened, and Gu Yuan was led to an elegant hall.

In the hall, Shangguan Lin was dressed in men's clothing. A smile graced her handsome face as she said slowly:

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit, Heir Gu?"

Gu Yuan smiled. "Naturally, I have some questions for you, Heir Shangguan, about the murder of the heir of Jiaozhou."

Shangguan Lin paused.

"I've already told Lord Duan everything I had to say. You'll get the same answers if you ask me again, Heir Gu."

Gu Yuan picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"If nothing had gone wrong, you and Heir Long would have gotten engaged after returning home this time, wouldn't you, Heir Shangguan?"

"Unfortunately... Heir Long died just like that..."

!!!

"What did you say?!" Shangguan Lin's pupils contracted sharply as she stared at Gu Yuan in disbelief.

"Ruzhou is in a critical situation and needs a powerful outside ally. The King of Jiaozhou and the King of Ruzhou once endured hardship together, so Jiaozhou is undoubtedly the best choice."

"Marrying you to Long Ye would both stabilize the situation in Ruzhou and help Jiaozhou resist the Northern Desert. No matter how you look at it, both sides would benefit greatly."

"I don't understand what you're saying, Heir Gu," Shangguan Lin said in a low voice.

Gu Yuan smiled faintly.

"Then let me address you differently..."

"Do you understand, Miss Shangguan?"

!!!

Shangguan Lin's expression froze, and she stared at Gu Yuan in astonishment.

After a very, very long silence... she finally spoke.

"How did you see through me?"

Gu Yuan shook his head. "That isn't important."

"I came today for two things."

"First, concerning the murder of the heir of Jiaozhou, I imagine you didn't go to see him just to catch up. You had something more important to discuss, and I hope you'll tell me what it was."

"As for the second... I'd like to discuss a partnership with you, Miss Shangguan."

Shangguan Lin looked surprised. "What kind of partnership?"

"I can help you resolve the internal strife in Ruzhou."

!!!

"Do you mean that?"

"I keep my word."

"What are your terms?"

The corners of Gu Yuan's lips rose slightly. "What I want Ruzhou to do is very simple."

"When necessary, follow my command."

"Raise an army in rebellion!"