Chapter 174

Shen Qinghong looked at Tie Rulong.

After more than a decade of separation, Shen Qinghong could still see the hatred in Tie Rulong's eyes. He sighed and said, "In that competition, I accidentally wounded you with a saber, and I have harbored guilt ever since. We were originally very good friends, and now we have come to this."

Tie Rulong said coldly, "Is that all you have to say?"

"If you want to cut me down, I have no complaints."

Shen Qinghong composed his emotions and said, "It is just that in my life, I, Shen Qinghong, have never failed anyone. Back then, the Sanyuan Escort Agency entrusted me with a batch of red goods, but then the Twelve Zodiacs interfered. The Offering Fruit God and I were trapped on the cliff for a long time. That batch of goods is fifteen years late. If possible, I hope you can give me time to deliver these goods, and then I will come before you to beg for forgiveness."

"When that time comes, whether you want to kill me or carve me up, I, Shen Qinghong, will have nothing to say."

Everything Shen Qinghong said came from the heart.

Tie Rulong looked at Shen Qinghong for a long time, picked up his golden saber, and said, "Shen Qinghong, facing the Twelve Zodiacs head-on is courage; using a clever scheme to defeat me is wisdom; after all these years, still wanting to deliver the escort silver is integrity. A person like you should be an escort head."

"Today, I am convinced."

Tie Rulong cupped his hands at Shen Qinghong.

The two men, after years of grudge, reconciled with a smile and became brothers once again. Together, they came before Gu Qing and sincerely thanked him for giving them a chance to talk, also contributing merit to Gu Qing.

"Hatred only brings pain; love is eternal."

In front of them, Gu Qing brought out Li Xunhuan's philosophy, saying, "I hope that when you walk the Jianghu and encounter matters, you can have a bit of benevolence and forgiveness. That way, you can avoid many senseless fights."

Shen Qinghong and Tie Rulong were not very strong, so Gu Qing dared not say things like "no matter how bad a person is, you must give them a chance to reform," fearing they would be killed immediately. Thus, he said some polite things to establish his persona in front of them.

This persona was mainly for Yao Yue to see.

Shen Qinghong and Tie Rulong felt the aura of benevolence and righteousness on Gu Qing and bowed in submission. At this moment, Gu Qing floated back onto the small boat.

"You are quite benevolent and righteous."

Yao Yue said indifferently.

"The most precious thing a person has is life."

Gu Qing said.

Yao Yue scoffed at this. After looking Gu Qing over, she suddenly said, "I see that your lightness skill can borrow force from the void; it is quite remarkable."

"Walking the Jianghu, one must have a few secret techniques."

Gu Qing smiled, then suddenly looked wistful and said, "I have heard that the Palace Mistress's lightness skill is also peerless in the world. I practice diligently just so that she might notice me."

The persona Gu Qing established in front of Yao Yue was that years ago, during one of her travels, Gu Qing had seen her face and had yearned for her ever since, doing everything to be worthy of her. Now, hearing Gu Qing say this, Yao Yue was quite moved.

"What if the Palace Mistress were to ask for your secret of lightness skill?"

Yao Yue's words held a hidden meaning.

"If she wanted it, I would naturally give it to her."

Gu Qing said with a smile, without the slightest hesitation.

Yao Yue remained silent.

The boat reached Huarong. Thunder rumbled, rain suddenly fell, and by noon it was clear again. Between heaven and earth, everything was steaming hot.

In this place, Gu Qing suddenly disembarked and cupped his hands to bid farewell to Yao Yue.

"Are you not going to Dongtinghu?"

Yao Yue asked coldly.

Along the way, Gu Qing had kept his mouth shut about matters involving Jiang Xiaoyu. Although Yao Yue appreciated Gu Qing's talent, she was determined to kill him because it involved the duel between Jiang Xiaoyu and Hua Wuque.

"Of course I am going to Dongtinghu!" Gu Qing said firmly. "It's just that Wei Wuya, that rat, is lurking in the shadows and has even slandered the Palace Mistress. If I don't clear away these hidden dangers and kill Wei Wuya, I really cannot face her... I don't want her to suffer the slightest harm because of me."

Gu Qing was wholeheartedly defending Yao Yue.

Yao Yue looked at Gu Qing and suddenly asked curiously, "Didn't you say that life is the most precious thing, hatred is pain, love is eternal, and that you hope people will always have a heart of benevolence and forgiveness?"

Hearing this, Gu Qing hesitated slightly, then said firmly, "Wei Wuya really shouldn't have insulted the Palace Mistress."

Yao Yue outweighed all of Gu Qing's principles.

Yao Yue snorted softly, seemingly disdainful, but beneath that ferocious mask, the corners of her eyes held hidden joy. Since Yao Yue had come of age, people feared her more than they loved her. A high-quality sycophant like Gu Qing, who could abandon his principles for her, made Yao Yue feel secretly pleased.

This novel experience was a first for Yao Yue.

"Your intentions are good."

Yao Yue's voice was light as she said, "But the Migrating Flower Palace does not like to have others do their work for them. If you were to kill Wei Wuya before the Palace Mistress does, she would actually be displeased."

When the Migrating Flower Palace encountered trouble, they always preferred to handle it themselves.

!

Hearing this, Gu Qing hesitated slightly.

"What you need to do now is obediently go to Dongtinghu for the appointment and not keep the Palace Mistress waiting."

Yao Yue said indifferently.

"I still have to go to Huarong County."

Gu Qing said, "For my date with the Palace Mistress, I don't think she would like outsiders to disturb us or watch the spectacle."

That much was true.

Yao Yue followed Gu Qing as they headed toward Huarong County.

Huarong County was part of Yueyang, located on a major transportation route. Many people from the Jianghu traveled through here. After arriving, Gu Qing moved through the city, buying supplies, while Yao Yue followed behind, feeling displeased as she watched some of the Jianghu people in the county.

"Most of these people are hunting Jiang Biehe."

Gu Qing looked at those Jianghu people and said, "I know many of them. Jiang Biehe tricked them, so they have been hunting him down. Jiang Biehe is heading toward Dongting, wanting to find Palace Mistress Yao Yue to obtain protection."

Hearing this, Yao Yue glanced at Gu Qing. She thought back to when Gu Qing was interacting with Qiu Qingbo and the others and had intentionally changed the subject when this was mentioned. She said coldly, "What, can't bear to see the Palace Mistress protect a treacherous villain like Jiang Biehe?"

This did not seem like something the goddess in the painting would do.

Gu Qing did not hesitate, saying, "Since I love the Palace Mistress, I love everything about her. As for protecting Jiang Biehe, that is just the Palace Mistress playing a grand game of chess."

Hearing such an answer, Yao Yue was even more satisfied. It was precisely because of the bottomless sycophancy of a righteous hero like Gu Qing that she felt her own charm.

"Senior, save me."

By the side of a street in Huarong County, a ragged man suddenly knelt before "Mr. Tong."

"You..."

Yao Yue looked at this person, her voice pausing slightly. Then, shifting from that cold, genderless voice of iron and steel, she changed into a beautiful, melodious female voice and said indifferently, "Jiang Biehe, you have actually fallen to this point."

The person kneeling on the ground was none other than Jiang Biehe, and beside him followed his little beast of a son, Jiang Yulang.

At this moment, Gu Qing looked at "Mr. Tong" in complete shock, his expression seemingly filled with a kind of happiness, as if he had never imagined that this Mr. Tong could be the Palace Mistress.

One more chapter of sycophancy and then I'll stop.

(End of chapter)