Chapter 40: The National Teacher’s arrival, was it a coincidence or…

Gu Sui ate this meal without any appetite. When he went downstairs to pay the bill, he tapped his fingers on the counter – two short, two long, then two short again.

This was a code Mu Jiulu had told him earlier to trigger the hidden “Ask Anything” menu at Duxing.

The girl behind the counter, who had been resting her chin while working an abacus, perked up and leaned in closer, lowering her voice:

“What would you like to ask, young sir?”

Gu Sui replied in a clean, slightly deep voice: “The owner of Duxing.”

The young girl’s initially excited expression immediately wilted.

“You can’t afford that price.”

According to Duxing’s rules, questions were priced individually, and customers could only get answers after paying. The on-duty staff answering customer questions that day would receive a corresponding commission as payment.

However, the question Gu Sui asked had no set price from the start. Unable to close this deal or earn a commission, the young girl was naturally disappointed.

“Would you like to ask about something else, young sir?”

The girl still held a glimmer of hope deep down, but Gu Sui had already lost interest.

“Never mind, just the bill please.”

She was such a meticulous person – Gu Sui felt that no matter how much money he spent, he wouldn’t be able to get any real information.

As he walked out of Duxing, Gu Sui seemed a bit distracted. Sui Yu asked with concern:

“Are you alright, young master? You don’t look well.”

“It’s nothing, let’s head back.”

He had some guesses in mind, but didn’t really want to acknowledge them.

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Li Fuyu told several jokes along the way, trying to cheer him up.

Gu Sui didn’t want to bring negative emotions to those around him, so he smiled cooperatively.

Unexpectedly, Li Fuyu laughed even louder than him. The youth’s cheerfulness and vibrancy dispersed some of the gloom in his heart.

Due to the epidemic, there was much less movement of people on the streets than usual. On South Street, a young man holding a sign stood out conspicuously.

He had originally been lying on the steps sunbathing, but upon seeing finely dressed gentlemen pass by, he put on an air of profundity, walked up to intercept them, and offered to read their fortunes.

He spoke with great eloquence, discoursing fluently on the Five Elements and Eight Characters. To everyone he met, he would say they would soon have their wishes fulfilled and that they had noble benefactors destined to assist them. This sweet talk caused the intercepted gentlemen to immediately take out silver, hailing him as a little immortal.

Fu Bai was now weighing the day’s earnings in his hand, sighing repeatedly.

Business had been difficult lately – all the easy marks were staying home, not coming out. How was he supposed to ply his trade?

“Young master, the chestnut cakes on South Street are quite famous. Since we’re passing by, shall I go buy some for you?”

“Alright.”

“I want some too! Sui Yu, buy two portions!”

“I won’t forget Li Fuyu’s share.”

“Haha, Sui Yu is so thoughtful.”

Li Fuyu said happily. Gu Sui shook his head with a light laugh, and ordered another pot of tea to quench the thirst of Li Fuyu, whose mouth had hardly stopped the whole way.

“Young sirs, our meeting must be fated. I see you all have extraordinary destinies. How about I divine your fortunes?”

Li Fuyu had just downed a cup of tea when he heard this. He looked over at Fu Bai in his grey Daoist robe standing by the table, and the large “Fortune” character on the sign in his hand, showing some interest.

“You’re a fortune teller?”

Fu Bai liked these unsophisticated types the most. He nodded slightly: “Indeed.”

“Are you accurate?”

Fu Bai’s expression grew haughty: “Naturally. I saw we were fated to meet, so I thought to offer you all a reading.”

Li Fuyu: “Offer? For free?”

Fu Bai’s eyes darted about: “Money and silver are external things. We Daoists don’t seek after such things.”

That’s what he said, but which fortune teller didn’t expect a little something at the end?

Isn’t it more enticing when it’s free?

Seeing Li Fuyu’s interest grow after hearing this, Gu Sui couldn’t help but rub his forehead. How could he believe this?

“Well then, read his fortune. If you do well, this young master will reward you.”

Fu Bai’s heart leapt with joy – you see, the money was coming after all.

“May I ask who this young sir is to you?”

Fu Bai gazed profoundly at Gu Sui, whom Li Fuyu had pointed to. Li Fuyu answered seriously:

“Hmm… he used to be my elder brother, now he’s my uncle.”

Fu Bai inwardly complained – what a complicated relationship.

“I see. Well then, let me take a good look at the young sir’s face.”

Fu Bai carefully examined the impassive Gu Sui. As he looked, he who had prepared his spiel in advance was taken aback.

This young man was truly handsome, but the misfortune surrounding him was more than all the people Fu Bai had ever seen combined!

Did he commit atrocities in his past life?

Fu Bai only dared mutter this in his heart, not daring to say it aloud, lest he get beaten to death.

He was just trying to earn some food money. It was better to say auspicious things that customers liked to hear – that brought in money faster too.

“Have you divined anything?”

After pondering for a long while, Fu Bai slowly opened his mouth under Gu Sui’s gaze.

“Hmm… I see the young sir’s face is full of spring radiance, with a full and rounded forehead. You are truly a person of extremely good fortune.”

Holding his teacup, Gu Sui raised a long eyebrow: “Is that so?”

Fu Bai nodded heavily: “Of course. With the young sir’s face, your future path will surely be smooth sailing, and you’ll have noble people to assist you…”

“Seize him and send him to the authorities.”

Gu Sui set down his teacup and said coolly. Behind him, Yun Mu promptly grabbed Fu Bai’s shoulders upon hearing this.

Fu Bai: “???!!!”

“Ouch! What do you mean by this, young sir?!”

“Since you dared to come out and deceive people, you should have anticipated this outcome.”

Fu Bai gritted his teeth secretly: “When did I deceive you? You ungrateful wretch!”

Gu Sui’s gaze towards him grew increasingly meaningful.

Did he not know how bumpy his own life had been?

This epidemic alone had nearly taken his life. Coming out to relax his mind, he’d discovered some unpleasant implications because of a bowl of radish soup.

And he dared say smooth sailing! Smooth my ass!

“Young sir, young sir, you’ve misunderstood. I really wasn’t deceiving you. Just listen to me continue…”

“Take him to the authorities!”

Gu Sui didn’t want to hear his excuses at all. He despised liars from the bottom of his heart.

For this fortune teller to so blatantly try to deceive him was no different from running headlong into the muzzle of a gun.

Yun Mu pushed the man towards the direction of the prefectural office. Seeing these people were serious, Fu Bai suddenly grew anxious.

“Wait, wait! My master is Wan Qi Xing Yin! Let me go!”

“The National Teacher?”

Yun Mu’s movements paused. Fu Bai took the chance to catch his breath.

“That’s right, hurry and release me!”

Gu Sui sneered: “You’re really addicted to lying.”

Fu Bai stubbornly said: “I really am Wan Qi Xing Yin’s disciple. I just didn’t want to always be under my master’s protection, so I came out to be self-reliant. Who knew I’d run into unreasonable people like you!”

Gu Sui: “Hah, you call fraud and deception self-reliance?”

“If you don’t believe me, we can go to the National Teacher’s residence!”

Fu Bai said forcefully. A dark light flashed through Gu Sui’s peach blossom eyes, his voice cold:

“Are you betting that we don’t dare go to the National Teacher’s residence?”

Fu Bai’s eyes flickered.

“Fuyu, you and Xiao An head home first. I want to see if the National Teacher really has such a disciple. Lead the way!”

Fu Bai: “!!!”

*

This was Gu Sui’s first time coming to the National Teacher’s residence. Ever since last time when he’d praised Wan Qi Xing Yin a few times and made Mu Jiulu unreasonably jealous, he hadn’t paid much attention to this National Teacher.

But today, besides bringing Fu Bai the liar here to confront him, he had some other matters he wanted to ask Wan Qi Xing Yin about.

If not for that, he wouldn’t have bothered to tangle with a liar for so long.

“Wang Jun, the master requests your presence.”

After receiving the summons, a young Daoist acolyte came out to welcome them. When Fu Bai heard how she addressed Gu Sui, his face turned deathly pale.

“I’m begging you, just let me go. You’re a noble Wang Jun, why must you be so fixated on me? I didn’t even say anything bad about you!”

As they got closer and closer to the Star-Gazing Pavilion, Fu Bai became as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. The young Daoist leading the way kept turning back curiously to look at them.

Gu Sui glanced at him: “Now you know to be afraid? It’s too late. The National Teacher is right there. Let’s see if she recognizes you as her disciple.”

“Disciple?”

An ethereal voice drifted over. Fu Bai despairingly covered his face.

Wan Qi Xing Yin walked out from the Star-Gazing Pavilion, still in white robes with white hair, an iron ruyi scepter in the crook of her arm, the very picture of otherworldly elegance.

Gu Sui pointed at the young man being held by Yun Mu.

“I encountered this fraud on South Street. I originally intended to send him straight to the authorities, but he insisted he was the National Teacher’s disciple. To avoid wrongly accusing him, I brought him here for the National Teacher to identify.”

Wan Qi Xing Yin looked over. Even though he had covered his face, she could recognize who this person was from his form and aura alone.

“Xiao Bai?”

Fu Bai trembled. Hearing this, Gu Sui was somewhat surprised.

So they really did know each other?

“When did you become what the Wang Jun called…”

Wan Qi Xing Yin felt the word “fraud” was a bit harsh, so she omitted it. Fu Bai lowered his hands, revealing a pitiful and aggrieved expression beneath.

“Elder Sister Yin, I just wanted to earn some money to buy food. I really didn’t expect things to turn out like this…”

His image in Elder Sister Yin’s heart was completely ruined now!

Wan Qi Xing Yin shook her head: “Ai, you…”

She turned to face Gu Sui: “I don’t know how Xiao Bai has offended the Wang Jun, but I ask the Wang Jun to forgive him for my sake.”

Gu Sui frowned and asked: “What? Is he really your disciple?”

Fu Bai lowered his head guiltily. Wan Qi Xing Yin nodded slightly.

“He wasn’t before, but he is now.”

Fu Bai: “!!!”

“Elder Sister Yin, you’re willing to accept me?”

Struck by this huge surprise, all his resentment disappeared in an instant. He even felt a bit grateful towards Gu Sui.

“Master!”

Fu Bai quickly changed how he addressed her. Yun Mu also loosened his grip, allowing the excited Fu Bai to break free and run to Wan Qi Xing Yin’s side, grabbing her sleeve.

Gu Sui: “I can’t interfere if you want to accept him as your disciple, but I must warn you of one thing – fraud is not an honorable act. You’d best keep him in check.”

Wan Qi Xing Yin turned to glance at Fu Bai. The young man shrank behind her, his voice low:

“I was wrong. I’ll never dare do it again.”

“Rest assured, Wang Jun. I will certainly teach him well from now on.”

Only then did Gu Sui let the matter drop. Wan Qi Xing Yin had a young Daoist take Fu Bai away first, then invited Gu Sui into the Star-Gazing Pavilion.

Gu Sui immediately noticed a fallen pillar on the outer perimeter, with obvious sword marks and a fist imprint.

Gu Sui’s eyes deepened: “Was this done by my mother and Mu Jiulu?”

Wan Qi Xing Yin sat down behind a brand new bamboo screen. Her ethereal voice came through:

“Yes.”

Gu Sui also sat cross-legged, his voice clear and distant: “There’s something I’d like to ask the National Teacher.”

“What is it?”

“I hear the National Teacher’s residence has been demolished three times?”

Bringing this up, Wan Qi Xing Yin’s reply was much slower.

“Yes.”

“I’m told the first time was over twenty years ago, done by my mother. The second and third times were a year and a half ago and half a year ago respectively, both done by Mu Jiulu.”

“What about it?”

Gu Sui’s fingertips lightly tapped the table, making a tapping sound. His voice mixed in, sounding particularly cool and detached.

“My mother was dissatisfied because of the fate you divined for me, acting in anger. I want to know, what exactly caused Mu Jiulu to demolish the National Teacher’s residence twice in one year?”

Wan Qi Xing Yin remained silent for a long time before speaking again.

“Why is the Wang Jun asking about these things?”

Gu Sui’s jaw tensed, his fingertips pressing so hard they turned white, his tone forceful: “I want to know.”

At that time, Mu Jiulu had just returned here not long ago. Hadn’t she lost her memory?

Then why did she come to the National Teacher’s residence, and what made her so angry that she demolished it?

Was his arrival truly a coincidence, or had it been premeditated?

Gu Sui was desperate to know.

“It was the second day after the Regent returned from her disappearance. She came to my National Teacher’s residence and told me she had been to another world…”

Wan Qi Xing Yin’s voice gradually drifted out, ethereal as clouds and mist, yet falling on the ears with extraordinary clarity.

Gu Sui’s hand resting on the table slowly clenched, his fingertips leaving crescent-shaped red marks on his palm. The heart in his chest contracted violently, tearing out an uncontrollable sorrow.

Mu Jiulu, oh Mu Jiulu, why did you have to deceive me?