When the beautiful woman left with a large group of palace maids, Qu Haijiao lowered his head and shouted with all his strength: "Congratulations!"
After a long time, until the slight trembling in his body gradually stopped, he raised his eyes. His old face trembled violently, and a sinister look flashed across his eyes.
"Father."
A young eunuch standing far away came over and said angrily to Qu Haijiao: "Concubine Qing is getting more and more excessive. If it weren't for your support in these years, how could she have achieved the status she has today?"
It would be impossible for any eunuch who had served in the palace for many years to say such treacherous words. But this little guy, who was only fourteen or fifteen years old, obviously didn't care at all. Instead, he felt sincerely aggrieved for Qu Haijiao.
Qu Haijiao looked at him and said calmly: "Gui Wu, how many years have you been with me?"
The young eunuch was stunned, and then said respectfully: "Since I was sent to the palace at the age of five, I have been following my adoptive father for ten years."
He paused and then added: "Even the name Qu Guiwu was given to me by your adoptive father."
"Ten years." Qu Haijiao was silent for a moment, then asked: "Do you know how many adopted sons I had before you?"
This time, the young eunuch named Qu Guiwu did not answer.
Most eunuchs in the dynasty, especially those with high authority like Qu Haijiao, would adopt several godsons. Firstly, it is to cultivate his own power and have a few informants to facilitate things in the palace. Secondly, I just want to pass on my legacy so that I won’t have no successors to what I have learned.
Because unless they entered the palace at a very old age, most eunuchs would not have the opportunity to continue their bloodline. Therefore, they would select some with acceptable qualifications among the new eunuchs who entered the palace, and recognize them as brothers, who would be both their sons and their apprentices.
An old eunuch like Qu Haijiao, who has been in the palace for who knows how many years, naturally cannot have only one or two godsons.
But Qu Guiwu has never seen anyone else, as if he is the only godson of his adoptive father. Although he knew this was impossible, he never asked this question.
"You are my eighth godson." Finally, Qu Haijiao gave the answer, and the meaning behind this answer made Qu Guiwu feel cold in his hands and feet.
Qu Haijiao looked at him deeply, "Do you want to know where the seven brothers in front of you have gone?"
Qu Guiwu did not speak.
His thin body was shaking like chaff at the moment. If he hadn't known that his adoptive father hated him kneeling down the most, he would have wanted to kneel down and beg for mercy.
"The first three, because of their good strength, were sent to perform tasks by the Qing Concubine, and died in the hands of others. The last three died in some struggles in the palace..."
Qu Haijiao's slightly cloudy eyes looked at Qu Guiwu: "As for the last one, he is just like you, extremely talented and smart. If nothing happens, he will definitely surpass my level in the future and become the emperor. The most powerful minister. Unfortunately, like you, he said something wrong and was killed by me myself."
When Qu Guiwu heard this, he could no longer hold back the fear in his heart. He knelt on the ground and begged for mercy: "Father, please forgive me! I know I was wrong!"
Qu Haijiao did not look at him, but said sadly: "I am getting older and have been unable to break through to the realm of Mingyou. My lifespan is running out. I no longer have the time to raise a son."
Having said this, Qu Haijiao suddenly turned around and stretched out his hand to help Qu Guiwu up.
Qu Guiwu's legs could no longer use their strength, and his entire weight was resting on Qu Haijiao's hands. He did not dare to look into the eyes of his adoptive father.
"This is the first time you have made a mistake. My adoptive father can forgive you." Qu Haijiao's voice was calm, and there was no hint of joy or anger. However, the moment he said the last word, he suddenly turned serious: "We are in the palace, you and I They are all slaves! Talking about the master behind his back is not allowed. If it happens again, my adoptive father will have no choice but to send you to accompany your seven brothers!"
Qu Guiwu was so frightened that his face burst into tears, and warm liquid flowed from his body.
Qu Haijiao did not dislike it, hugged him in his arms, patted his back gently and said: "As a slave, you must be careful, more careful...more careful. Because only by being careful can you survive, and everything in this world is , nothing is more important than living.”
"Remember?"
Qu Guiwu's teeth chattered, but he still insisted on answering: "My child... my child... remember!"
Qu Haijiao smiled miserably, let go of his hand, and said kindly: "Go and wash up, we will meet later, come with me to see the world."
Qu Guiwu walked away crawling as if he had been granted amnesty.
But Qu Haijiao still stood there, his long white eyebrows swaying in the wind. He raised his head, looked at the tallest palace in the distance, and murmured: "Your Majesty, your Majesty is about to cross the threshold. You What's the rush?"
Sighing slightly, Qu Haijiao walked towards the palace with slow steps.
…
In the carriage.
Lu Li and Ge Xinyue sat facing each other.
Neither of them spoke.
Lu Li, on the other hand, occasionally opened the curtains and looked at the huge palace door getting closer and closer, looking thoughtful.
Seeing this, Ge Xinyue smiled and said, "Are you nervous?"
"Sister Ge is joking. He is His Majesty of the Holy Kingdom and one of the most powerful Mingyou Grandmasters in the world. How can he not be nervous?" Lu Li did not hide anything and smiled very calmly.
"Although His Majesty controls the entire Heaven-Swallowing Holy Kingdom, compared to this world, he is still not one of the most powerful." Ge Xinyue said slowly: "There are gods above Mingyou. Stepping into Only when you see God can you be called a heavenly being. The cultivation of a warrior is endless. The word "strongest" is easy to say, but if you want to put it in front of your name, how many people in the world can do it?"
Lu Li rarely heard Ge Xinyue say so many words in one breath, and couldn't help but said: "It seems that Sister Ge also has her own stubbornness in practicing."
Ge Xinyue looked at him with a smile but not a smile, "If you embark on the path of a warrior, if you don't even have the heart to climb, how can you talk about competing with the world?"
Of course, Lu Li heard her ridicule, but he didn't feel any embarrassment. Instead, after thinking for a moment, he asked seriously: "Sister Ge, what kind of scenery is it like to see the gods?"
He had seen Mu Ningqiu open up Youfu and be promoted to Mingyou.
There have been too many descriptions circulated about the world's default state of master. As for the higher level of seeing gods, Lu Li had only heard of his name and had never seen anyone talk about it.
There will inevitably be curiosity in your heart.
"Seeing God..." Ge Xinyue hesitated for a moment, looked at Lu Li deeply, and then explained: "Do you know that there is a ghost in the world?"
"Of course, after death, the soul will return to the underworld."
Lu Li nodded.
He has known this for a long time, and he has had the idea of exploring the place similar to the "underworld". After all, in this world of martial arts and gods, the legend of the Netherworld may not be false. Humans can even control the soul. The destination of the soul after death is certainly not a rumor.
But later he discovered that with the strength of a warrior, even if he reached the realm of Mingyou, he could only 'see' the Netherworld, but he could not have any influence on it, so he gradually gave up his intention to explore the Netherworld.
"This world is very vast. The Zhenwu Territory we are in is actually just a huge continent. There once was a powerful warrior who crossed the entire Zhenwu Territory, went to the outside world, and brought back a piece of news."
Ge Xinyue said slowly: "Besides Zhenwu, there is the Royal Court of the Four Seas, some of which claim to be people from the upper realm. And Netherworld is one of the upper realms. In more popular terms, the strong ones in the upper realm, Therein lies the presence of 'god'."
"The so-called realm of seeing gods refers to martial arts cultivation that can be on an equal footing with these powerful men."
When Ge Xinyue said this, she did not continue, but looked at Lu Li and said, "Did you suddenly feel a little desperate?"
Lu Li came back to his senses and was silent for a while before saying: "In other words, we warriors who have cultivated to the point of meeting gods are actually just the starting point of those 'gods'?"
Ge Xinyue nodded and acquiesced to this statement.
When she learned the truth, she was shocked beyond words. Once the concepts established over the years collapsed, even the courage of the warriors could hardly be maintained.
A warrior who has practiced hard for decades, or even hundreds of years, to achieve the realm of seeing gods is just an equal starting point with the people in the so-called 'upper realm'.
Just think about it and you will know how disappointing this news is.