Chapter 280: 280. You will hurt me
Translator: 549690339
In the following two days, Gu Ling still went to Qingjing Temple every day, and Su Liang’s life was very regular. After going to the palace to administer acupuncture to Situ Han, he went to Qingjing Temple to find Gu Ling. Situ Han’s facial paralysis symptoms had improved.
There were people watching Han Xiangyuan and Ning Xiangju at night, but there was nothing unusual.
Su Liang was also worried that Gu Ling’s newly- acknowledged makeshift master would sneak into Yue Wangfu at night, which would be troublesome, but it didn’t happen.
Seeing the old Mu again, three days had passed since the hasty apprenticeship.
It was still the same place, deep in the pagoda forest of Qingjing Temple.
This time, Mu Lao didn’t disguise himself as a miscellaneous worker picking up dead branches. His clothes were neat and clean, his back was straight, and his face was not dirty, but his beard was too messy to see his facial features clearly.
“You’re Gu Ling, Situ Xie’s grandson, Marquis Chang Xin of Qian Country.
You’re Su Liang, Martial Arts Champion of Qian Country, now serving as the Imperial Physician, coming to Liang Country to treat Emperor Liang’s illness. You’re pursuing him.” Old Mu had obviously inquired about Gu Ling and Su Liang.
Su Liang nodded, “Yes. May I ask your name, sir?”
“Just call me Old Mu!” Old Mu’s gaze shifted from Su Liang to Gu Ling, “You call me Master!”
As for the name, it was not mentioned.
Gu Ling did not speak, and Su Liang did not ask further, “Alright. Old Mu, three days have passed, and you have not changed your mind about taking an apprentice, have you?”
Old Mu snorted lightly, “What if I do?”
Su Liang sighed softly, “That can only mean that you really have no fate with Gu Ling as a master and apprentice. Because Gu Ling just wants to see the skills of the Mu Family’s Divine Craftsman, he doesn’t really want to be an apprentice.”
When old Mu heard this, he got angry and glared at Su Liang, “He’s not even happy to join my sect?”
“He’s right here, Old Mu. If you want to get angry with him, don’t blame me.” Su Liang pulled Gu Ling in front of him, ‘Since you’ve inquired about it, you should know his temperament. I’m so good-looking and talented, but he’s only willing to be an ordinary friend with me. Who should I talk to?”
Old Mu twitched at the corner of his mouth, “You shameless girl!”
Su Liang smiled, “I’m a loner, and no one cares about me, so I just want to make myself happy.”
Old Mu was stunned for a moment after hearing this.
“Old Mu, are you alright?” Su Liang asked.
After taking a deep look at Su Liang, Old Mu shook his head, “I’m fine. Regarding the apprenticeship, I need to tell you about the ancestral teachings of the Mu Family. If you can swear to follow them, then I will accept you. If not, just pretend you never met me!”
Upon hearing this, Su Liang realized that the ancestral teachings of the Mu Family must be very important, and that Old Mu was even willing to give up on such a talented apprentice.
Gu Ling’s expression was indifferent, “You may speak.”
“As a disciple of the Mu family, you cannot teach the Mu family’s skills to outsiders, nor can you provide weapons made by the Mu family to outsiders. Otherwise, all the sins you commit will be attributed to yourself, and you will not die well!” Old Mu’s tone was very heavy, his gaze locked on Gu Ling’s eyes, but he saw that Gu Ling’s gaze was as deep as a still pond, with no ripples at all.
Then, Su Liang asked, “It only says that you can’t give it to outsiders, but you can use it yourself, right?”
Old Mu was slightly taken aback, as if he had never thought about this. Frowning, he said, “There’s no harm in using it for self-defense. Now, in front of me, swear to it, kneel down and become my apprentice, and you’ll be the inheritor of the Mu Family. If not, just forget about it!”
Gu Ling shook his head slightly, “I don’t want to.”
The anger instantly appeared on Old Mu’s face, “You are a strange boy. I’ve checked everything; your martial arts are so high, and even after your father started a rebellion and your whole family was executed, you don’t care. You clearly have no ambition. Now, are you planning to serve the Qian Country’s royal family or your maternal grandfather?”
Hearing this, Su Liang knew that Old Mu would appear again today, not only because of Gu Ling’s talent but also because he had investigated Gu Ling’s character and found it to be in line with the requirements of the Mu family’s apprenticeship.
The so-called not providing weapons to outsiders in the ancestral teachings is tantamount to not being involved in power struggles.
And the sinful disciple mentioned by Old Mu three days ago had violated the ancestral teachings of the Mu family.
“It’s none of your business.” Gu Ling remained indifferent.
Old man Mu looked at Su Liang, “Little girl, is he really not interested in becoming my disciple, or is he just playing hard to get? Tell me the truth, and no matter what, I won’t make things difficult for you!”
Su Liang sighed softly, “To be honest, he has no desires or cravings. Except for not shaving his head and enjoying eating meat, he has no essential difference with the monks in this temple.”
Gu Ling gave Su Liang a cold glance but didn’t interrupt her speech.
Su Liang continued, “He wants to take a master only for one reason: he wants to see the craftsmanship of the Mu family’s Divine Craftsman because he is genuinely interested in this path. But Old Mu, did you forget to ask why we lied about being descendants of the Mu family and sold that fan in Yao City?”
Old man Mu’s eyes suddenly narrowed, “You came here to look for the descendants of the Mu family? Why?”
Su Liang shrugged slightly, “What do you think? Why else would our emperor kindly send me to treat Emperor Liang’s illness?”
Old man Mu sneered, “Since you are here for me, why not just swear to deceive me and achieve your goal?”
Su Liang shook her head, “We didn’t come together. I came for the descendants of the Mu family, he didn’t. Our emperor sent him to find the Liang Country’s King Yue for the purpose of stealing valuables.”
Old man Mu looked at Su Liang with a speechless expression, “So what exactly do you want?”
Su Liang then told Old Man Mu about how when Liang Country sent someone to invite her, Duanmu Yi happened to find out that a descendant of the Mu family had brought the mechanism secret scroll to join Situ Xie, and took the opportunity to send her. On the surface, she was to cure Emperor Liangs illness, and secretly investigate the matter of the Mu family’s descendant and the secret scroll.
“That’s how it is. That’s my mission, but the emperor has verbally ordered him to assist.” Su Liang looked serious, “For this reason, he even let the others return to the country first, fearing that in case anything happens, it would be easier for the two of us to escape.”
Old man Mu frowned, “Fine, I believe you. Since you’re so frank, I’ll be straightforward too. That descendant of the Mu family that you found is my only disciple, his name is Mu Yu, he’s an abandoned child I picked up and raised. Although his talent is average, I never treated him badly. Three months ago, he stole the secret scroll of the mechanism and disappeared. It took me a great deal of effort to track him down to Yao City. I observed Situ Xie for several days yet never saw my evil disciple around him.”
From a timeline perspective, it matched up with the information Duanmu Yi
had acquired.
“Could it be that after Situ Xie got the secret scroll, he killed the person?” Su
Liang frowned.
Old man Mu snorted, “No, the secret scroll is only half-complete.”
“Even half can be used.” Su Liang said.
Old man Mu sneered, “I’ve always been afraid that the scroll would fall into the hands of evil people. The half scroll is cut horizontally, so there isn’t a single complete diagram.”
Upon hearing this, Su Liang raised her thumb, “This move is really brilliant! In this case, your evil disciple should still be alive. Maybe Situ Xie thought the fan was made by you, and has been watching us these days.”
“That’s right. I destroyed all the hidden weapons I made in the past. That evil disciple knew that if it were a weapon made by me, it wouldn’t be given to outsiders.” Old man Mu said.
“I see.” Su Liang nodded.
“Alright, let’s clarify the situation. The reason why he refuses to take me as his master is that you both are loyal to Qian Country’s emperor and will not abide by the last wish of the Mu family’s ancestors?” Old man Mu clearly didn’t want to give up on having Gu Ling as a disciple. However, he gave up on talking directly to Gu Ling, fearing that he would be infuriated, and chose to discuss it with Su Liang.
“Well…” Su Liang glanced at Gu Ling, who seemed to be uninterested in the matter and was studying the patterns on the stone pagoda next to them, and then shook her head, “Not really.”
“Then why?” Old man Mu became even more annoyed, “If you don’t tell me, this matter is not over!”
“Old Mu, calm down. In fact, we don’t quite understand the last will of the Mu family’s ancestors.” Su Liang sighed softly, “Weapons only function when used by people. Let’s not talk about small hidden weapons, just the mechanism secret scroll handed down by the Mu family: all three royal families are searching for it. It is said that it contains the blueprint for large-scale weapons to be used in war. Otherwise, our emperor and Liang Country’s King Yue would not be so eager to obtain it. The purpose of the last will is clear, weapons should not be made on a large scale and used in the battlefield, and we both understand this. If so, why hand down the secret scroll? Wouldn’t it be safer to destroy it? Perhaps the Mu family ancestor who left the last will had a significant conflict with the then ruler, and the last will was specifically directed against the ruler of his time. The situation has long been different when the dynasty has changed. Rules made by people can be changed by people.”
Old man Mu’s face stiffened, having been bound by the last wish since he was young, he lived most of his life constrained by it. His father kept reminding him of it, and the last wish had been carved into his bones, which made him never even think about whether it’s right or wrong.
One thing that Old man Mu was aware of, though, was that he didn’t have a happy life. In fact, he was an outstanding descendant of the Mu family, highly skilled, and deeply passionate about what he was doing. However, he could only enjoy the exquisite treasures he made by himself and never dared to reveal his surname Mu to anyone. Countless nights, looking at the secret scroll until dawn, he desperately wanted to create any of the items within it but couldn’t, fearing the consequences of violating the ancestor’s last wish.
He had been suppressed for a lifetime, so when he heard Su Liang’s words “I only seek my happiness in everything,” he was stunned.
This was also the direct reason why Old man Mu didn’t get married and didn’t have children. He didn’t want his own flesh and blood to repeat his oppressed life bound by the Mu family’s last wish.
“He’s not afraid of not dying well after breaking his vow, he just doesn’t want to deceive you.” Su Liang looked at Old man Mu and said, “Neither do I. Although it’s only our second meeting, you clearly take the Mu family’s last wish very seriously. If he becomes your disciple, he may become an evil disciple in your eyes and turn against you in the future. With that being the case, it’s better to give up. We can use tactics against Situ Xie because we know he’s not a good person, but you’re different.”
Old man Mu looked at her eyes clear and without a trace of evasion.
Old Master Mu knew that Su Liang’s words came from the heart, because he could just turn around and leave now, rendering Su Liang and Gu Ling unable to find him, and there would be no loss.
He suddenly looked at Gu Ling, “Kid, is what she said also your idea?” “Mhm.” Gu Ling responded.
Then, Old Master Mu said irritably, “You two are truly in sync. There’s no way you could ever find a better girl than this, so are you really planning on becoming a monk?”
Su Liang chuckled, “Yes, he wants to become a monk. Old Mu, please think about taking him as a disciple again. Even if we fail in our mission, our lives will not be endangered. He is willing to be your disciple, but he won’t take an oath. ”
Old Master Mu looked at Su Liang and then at Gu Ling before suddenly turning around, “Fine, let me think about it. Let’s meet again in three days!” He disappeared as his words fell.
Su Liang took a breath, “I think there’s still hope. What do you say?” Gu Ling answered unexpectedly, “I don’t want to become a monk.”
“I was just joking, don’t take it seriously. Meat is so delicious, why would you want to leave it behind?” Su Liang laughed, “Half of the secret scroll is in Situ Xie’s hands. Whether you join his tutelage or not, we still need to snatch it back. Any ideas?”
Gu Ling nodded slightly, “I’m thinking…” “Thinking about what?” Su Liang asked.
“Did you suddenly become stupid?” Gu Ling countered.
Su Liang frowned, “You’re stupid. Your entire family is stupid.” “Yep, my entire family consists of you and me.” Gu Ling expressed his agreement.
Su Liang was speechless, frowning and pondering. Since Gu Ling wouldn’t unintentionally judge her without reason. So…
“Ah, I was indeed being stupid.” Su Liang suddenly saw the light and gave herself a smack on the forehead.
It’s been confirmed that the half of the secret scroll Situ Xie obtained does not have a single complete blueprint of the mechanism. If he can’t get the other half, it’s just a bunch of waste paper. Now that they’ve established a relationship with Old Master Mu, he himself holds the “key” to the secret scroll. As long as they ensure that Situ Xie doesn’t get the other half, they’ll be fine.
If in three days, Old Master Mu comes to a decision and decides to no longer care about the ancestral teachings, he could accept Gu Ling as his disciple. He could draw a complete secret scroll in minutes. Since he’s seen it countless times, it must be deeply ingrained in his mind.
As the two walked out of the pagoda forest, Su Liang couldn’t help but complain, “You really saved your energy, making me speak for you.” “You were happy to do it,” Gu Ling said casually.
Su Liang shook her head, “When did I say I was happy to do it?”
Gu Ling’s thin lips parted slightly, “You said, do everything for the sake of happiness. Aren’t you happy?
Su Liang silently kicked Gu Ling, expressing her happy emotions…
When Situ Xie entered Ning Xiang Residence again, he casually asked whether Gu Ling had returned the folding fan to Su Liang.
Gu Ling said he had.
Situ Xie sat for a while, seeing that Gu Ling was still indifferent, he got up and went to Han Xiangyuan to find Su Liang.
“Divine Doctor Su, this prince has an unreasonable request.” Situ Xie smiled. Su Liang looked approachable, “Please speak, King Yue.”
“I wonder if I could borrow that hidden weapon fan for three days?” Situ Xie asked.
Su Liang looked puzzled, “Why borrow it for three days?”
Situ Xie said solemnly, “Actually, ever since I saw that fan in the Treasure Pavilion, I wanted to buy it for Yaoyao as a self-defense tool. Although she knows martial arts, she’s far inferior to Divine Doctor Su. If it weren’t for General Peng buying it to give to Divine Doctor Su, I would not have let it go.”
Su Liang nodded, “Thank you, King Yue, but I still don’t understand the purpose of borrowing the fan for three days.”
“I want to find a craftsman to see if I can replicate one, and give it to Yaoyao.” Situ Xie said.
The light in Su Liang’s eyes brightened, “So that’s it. I originally wanted to give this fan to Marquis Gu, but he didn’t want it, so I thought that if I could replicate a few, it would be great to give them to my friends for self-defense.
However, I don’t know any highly skilled craftsmen.”
Situ Xie’s smile deepened, “Looks like we have similar ideas.”
“If King Yue is sincere in his love for his granddaughter, I can’t refuse,” Su Liang readily agreed, “When you find the right craftsman, bring him to see me!”
Situ Xie was startled, “Bringing the craftsman to see Divine Doctor Su is…”
Su Liang laughed and explained, “I’ve been dying to take this fan apart to see exactly what kind of ingenious mechanisms are inside, but I don’t know how, and I’m afraid I might break it. It would be great if we could find a professional who could help me see the inner structure of the fan. King Yue and your family members are all welcome to come and see.”
Situ Xie nodded slightly, “Divine Doctor Su is indeed very thoughtful. Since you are so generous, I will immediately send someone to find a craftsman skilled in hidden weapons, hoping to find someone suitable before you leave.” When the conversation ended, Situ Xie excused himself.
After leaving Han Xiangyuan, the smile on his face disappeared, and his expression suddenly darkened for a moment before returning to normal.
Ren Dong saw Su Liang casually clearing away the ice on the fake mountain in the courtyard and asked her why she was in such a good mood today.
Su Liang smiled, “King Yue must think that I am very easy-going and accommodating, at least to the point of being all things to all people.”
Ren Dong: …I don’t know if that’s the case, but it does seem a bit unusual…
“By the way, ask Marquis Chang Xin what he wants for a late-night snack tonight,” Su Liang instructed Ren Dong.
Ren Dong took the order and returned quickly, “Marquis Chang Xin wants to eat fried fish nuggets.”
Su Liang was speechless, “Yao City is full of ice and snow, where can we find fish? It’s better to just become a monk.”
Ren Dong was puzzled, “What did the master just say?
Su Liang said seriously, “It’s nothing. Tell Gui Yue that his cousin wants fish, so they should figure it out.”
They managed to find fish in Yao City, so that night, Gu Ling enjoyed Su Liang’s hand-made fried fish nuggets. They were just out of the pan, steaming hot and smelling delicious.
“Great God, once I catch up with you, I’ll make you eat vegetarian every day.” Su Liang complained.
Gu Ling’s hand, which was holding the chopsticks, paused, “We’ll discuss it later.”
Su Liang blinked and suddenly laughed, “Hey, what if I really want to pursue you one day? Would you find it strange?”
Gu Ling elegantly ate the fish nugget he had picked up before replying, “How can I know something that hasn’t happened yet?”
Su Liang stared at Gu Ling, “You’re probably going to ruin me.”
Gu Ling asked, “Why do you say that?”
“Looking at your face every day and being tormented by your various abilities, I’m afraid I won’t be able to find a man I like. I’ll definitely think they’re all either too ugly or too weak,” Su Liang sighed.
“So?” Gu Ling picked up a piece of fish, concealing his slightly curled lip due to his good mood.
Su Liang stood up, “So, if by the time we’re thirty we still haven’t found someone to marry, I’ll really try pursuing you and see how you feel then.” and waved her hand as she left, “You can eat slowly, I have a book to finish, so I’ll go back first.”
The door closed, and Gu Ling’s face darkened. Although he knew that the so-called “thirty years old” remark was a playful joke from Su Liang’s past life perspective, she had said that getting married at thirty in her past life was very normal. However, he would wait, at most, until Su Liang turned eighteen, not one day more. After all, she just said she couldn’t stand anyone else, so who else would she be with….
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