Gu Shuangqing said, "Dad, Ah Man prepared a birthday gift for you and even cooked it himself. Today is your birthday and a day for reunion. No matter how big the matter is, let's talk about it after today. Don't let troubles ruin this good day."
Gu Shuangqing called again: "A'man." and winked at the table.
Gu Fuyou served a bowl of lotus soup and brought it to Gu Wanpeng: "Dad, I made this for you, please try it." She thought she would not see him today, but he suddenly came back. She was not ready to be a gentle and obedient daughter. She was nervous and felt a little uncomfortable. Gu Shuangqing coughed softly. She remembered the birthday gift and hurriedly put the lotus soup on the table. She opened the storage bag and took out a sandalwood box. When the box was opened, a string of jade beads lay on the red soft satin: "Dad, this is my birthday gift to you."
Gu Wanpeng glanced at the box, a hint of tenderness in his eyes. When he looked at Gu Fuyou again, he closed his eyes and sighed helplessly: "The Zuo family has come to me and is trying to reason with me."
Gu Shuangqing's face changed: "Dad, you came back late because of the Zuo family? What did the Zuo family say?"
Gu Wanpeng lowered his head and looked up at Gu Fuyou: "The Zuo family wants to exchange one for one. Xiaoyao City will kill one of their descendants, and they will accompany him with one. They want your sister to marry Zuo Tianlang, saying that the Gu family will not discipline their daughter, and the Zuo family will teach her carefully. If you don't obey, they will spare no cost and make the entire Ningcheng bury Zuo Tianyi with you."
The three were shocked and horrified after hearing this. It was not strange for the Zuo family to marry. This was a common method used by the Xu Ling Sect. One was to use them as hostages to control their opponents, and the other was to torture and retaliate under the guise of discipline. Once you entered the Xu Ling Sect, you were his Xu Ling Sect member. No one else could interfere with your life or death. Men marrying into the family and women marrying off were actually being sent to be slaves and servants, just to gain a good reputation and reduce other people's resentment.
Gu Shuangqing frowned, "Dad, you can't do that. They are looking for revenge on Ah Man. Ah Man is like a piece of fish on the chopping board after entering the Zuo family. Besides, Zuo Tianlang is the grandson of the clan leader. The Zuo family wants to take Ah Man away in the name of marriage, so they shouldn't use Zuo Tianlang as an excuse. This is really weird."
Gu Wanpeng snorted coldly when he heard this, "You should ask your good sister about this. People from the Zuo family said that Zuo Tianlang was impressed by her charm in the canyon race, and fell in love with her and could not forget her. Many people witnessed it at that time. He sincerely asked for her hand in marriage, and got the permission of the clan leader to marry her. If it were not for this relationship, humph, this matter would not be just a one-for-one deal. People from the Zuo family said this and that, and they were very reasonable."
Gu Huaiyou said: "This is clearly full of nonsense."
Gu Shuangqing called out, "A'man," wanting her to explain clearly.
Gu Fuyou sneered: "I did run into him in the canyon race, but he looked like he wanted to eat me alive. Conquer? They don't even feel disgusted when they say it themselves."
Gu Wanpeng leaned on the table, pressing his temples, and said weakly: "Have you really provoked Zuo Tianlang? I told you to ignore the people of the Zuo family and stay away from them when you see them, why didn't you listen?"
Gu Fuyou felt a tight breath in his chest and couldn't breathe it out. He said in a defensive tone, "I didn't provoke him. He stuck to me like a dog-skin plaster. Can you really blame me?"
Gu Wanpeng said, "I told you to come home early when you visit your parents, and not to make trouble when you are away alone. Didn't I say that? Why didn't you come back earlier? Your brother is not here, and you still want to go to this place where all kinds of people are mixed up? I will deal with Ningcheng's affairs when I come back, but you didn't. You insisted on following them into the cave. What's in the cave? You didn't know, but you dared to follow them and rush in. You are so bold, huh? Are you relying on your great luck, or do you think that you have excellent cultivation and the ability to protect yourself? If you were more obedient, these things would not have happened!"
Gu Fuyou sat on the chair, his hands on his legs, his head down, biting his lower lip, and didn't say anything. Gu Huaiyou persuaded, "Dad, it was Si Miao and I who decided to go down to the cave. The situation underground is complicated, and there are ancient formations outside. Ah Man is quite knowledgeable about these, so we let her go down to help, not because she wanted to make trouble."
Gu Shuangqing hurriedly changed the subject and said, "Dad, I think it's strange that Zuo Tianlang wants to marry Ah Man. The reason doesn't make sense. The Zuo family's behavior is really abnormal. I'm afraid there are other tricks. We can't let Ah Man fall into the hands of the Zuo family no matter what."
Gu Wanpeng said, "I know. I have already rejected the Zuo family. But the Zuo family will not give up. They will definitely take action next, and it is hard to guarantee that they will not attack Ningcheng. Ren'er, you select a group of cultivators and set off immediately. After arriving in Ningcheng, start to strengthen the city's defenses and contact me at any time."
Gu Huaiyou hurriedly took two steps forward and said solemnly: "Dad, let me go." Since it was related to Si Miao, he was worried and wanted to go and see it in person.
Gu Wanpeng looked at him for a long while, then sighed silently and said, "Okay, since you are willing to go, I won't stop you. You should also gain some experience. Remember, don't be stubborn."
Gu Huaiyou breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yes." Not daring to delay for a moment, he said goodbye to Gu Wanpeng and went out to mobilize troops.
After Gu Huaiyou left, Gu Wanpeng tapped his fingers on the table. After this interruption, his tone had softened and he said to Gu Fuyou, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"
Gu Fuyou was already feeling unhappy, but he suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, "I killed him. I got the ear-covering bell, which helped me hide my body, so I had the opportunity to stab him to death from behind."
Gu Wanpeng's fingers tapped the table faster, and the room was filled with muffled beeping sounds. "So you could have subdued him. Since he was behind him, he must have been defenseless. If you move two inches down, you'll reach his Dantian. You could damage his Dantian, or his hands and feet, making him lose the ability to move. But you chose the most reckless approach."
Gu Shuangqing said, "Dad, Ah Man is facing a cultivator in the Qigong period, and the other party wants to kill her as soon as possible. Between life and death, Ah Man naturally has no time to think so carefully."
Gu Wanpeng looked solemn, and said to Gu Fuyou: "You even dragged Zhong Michu into this. Don't you think you haven't caused enough trouble to others?" He then recalled Shuangqing's words and said: "It's not that she doesn't think things through. She has always been so impulsive and willful!"
Gu Fuyou opened her mouth, wanting to say it wasn't me, but in the end she was powerless to speak. Didn't Zhong Michu drag himself into this? Gu Wanpeng's first sentence hit her where she felt guilty. She was already on the verge of getting angry, and the next sentence directly hit a landmine. Her father's words always stung her easily, making her feel depressed, making her feel speechless, and making her hair stand on end. Anger rose in Gu Fuyou's eyes, and suddenly she shouted: "I just want to kill Zuo Tianyi. What's wrong with me killing him! I subdued him, and then I would just send him back to Xu Ling Sect. Will Xu Ling Sect punish him? It's just a pretense, a few beatings, and confinement. It won't hurt. Nothing will happen to him. Once the limelight is over, he can still be his rich and noble son. Why? What about the lives of those who died in his hands? Do Amon and the others deserve to die? They don't have spiritual roots, they can't practice, so their lives are cheap, they deserve to be humiliated, and they'll be dead if they die?"
Gu Fuyou actually deeply understood the principle of the survival of the fittest in this world, but she was unwilling to understand it at the moment. Her cultivation was low, so she always felt that she was not much different from those mortals. She had a strong empathy for these mortals, so she was so unwilling to see them die.
Gu Wanpeng lowered his voice and said, "Yes, that's the truth. The Zuo family is the overlord of South Continent. It is the sky. It has the power to trample everyone under its feet. Have you ever thought that originally three people died, and you killed Zuo Tianyi, and the Zuo family started a fight, more than three people would die!"
Gu Fuyou stood up suddenly and said in a cold voice: "Then fight them. His intentions for the Xu Ling Sect are known to everyone. He wants to provoke a war and annex Xiaoyao City. It is only a matter of time. Since there is no way out, we might as well take the initiative and fight to the death!"
"You take war so lightly! You say to fight and we'll fight. How many people just want to have enough food and clothing and a happy family? If you don't want to live, don't others want to live too?"
Gu Fuyou said, "How can you be happy if you are under the claws of the Zuo family? If he kills one of you today, you don't care. If he kills two of you tomorrow, you don't care. Even when he kills all the people in your Xiaoyao City, you have to swallow your anger!"
Gu Wanpeng slammed his palm on the table, and with a loud bang, the bowl of lotus soup in front of him was knocked over. He stared at Gu Fuyou with his tiger eyes and said, "When to endure, when to attack, when to advance, when to retreat, don't bother thinking about it. As long as the Zuo family makes a move, we will go straight up with our knives? Do you know how strong Xiaoyao City is? Do you know how much effort the Gu family has spent on maintaining Xiaoyao City under the oppression of the Zuo family and making it grow to its current level? Do you know how many allies Xiaoyao City can really use? Do you know what kind of behemoth Xu Lingzong is? How many people will suffer if a fight really breaks out? How many people in Xiaoyao City will advocate fighting? What are the chances of winning this battle? Do you know that Xiaoyao City is now quiet for a year and grows a bit. The longer it drags on, the tougher it will be against Xu Lingzong? You don't know! You only take it for granted and blindly act out!"
Gu Fuyou stared at the bowl of lotus soup in a daze. The air became sour and went into his throat, as if it had corroded his lungs from his mouth. "Yes. I am useless. I am a waste. I can't practice. I am not good at civil and martial arts. I can't help you manage the city. I can only mess around and embarrass you. I implicated my senior sister; I provoked Zuo Tianlang; I was too arrogant. The cave was dangerous, but I insisted on drilling into it; I was willful and impulsive. I didn't like Zuo Tianyi, so I insisted on killing him. I am useless. No matter what I do, you can't get what you want."
"Don't be so sarcastic when you talk." Gu Wanpeng said, "I have always loved to stir up trouble since I was a child..."
Gu Fuyou's heart was deeply hurt. Her eyes turned red and tears fell: "Yes, yes, I have been a troublemaker since I was a child. That's why you don't like me. You have never liked me. No, you hate me. You hate me for killing my mother!"
Gu Shuangqing shouted: "Ah Man!"
Gu Wanpeng's anger rose, his face and eyes turned red in an instant, he raised his hand and slapped him: "Asshole!" Gu Wanpeng was panting.
Gu Fuyou's face was hit and turned to the side, leaving a red mark immediately. She raised her hand to touch it and found her left face numb. She walked out, but suddenly stopped and turned back, took out the bracelet from the sandalwood box and threw it hard to the ground.
Gu Shuangqing was shocked and said, "Ah Man, don't!" When he tried to stop her, it was too late. The fine birthday jade was shattered immediately. Gu Fuyou bypassed Gu Shuangqing and walked out directly to his own yard.
Gu Shuangqing was also a little resentful: "Dad, you are too harsh on A'man!" When he went to see Gu Wanpeng, he saw Gu Wanpeng slowly squatting down, picking up the broken pieces of the birthday jade on the ground, and hunched over the table. Suddenly he was unable to say anything.
Gu Shuangqing walked out of the house. Lu Shiqing was standing nearby. She heard the noise and came to see what was going on. Gu Shuangqing sighed and said, "You take care of Dad, I'll go and persuade Ah Man."
Lu Shiqing said softly, "Be patient."
Gu Shuangqing smiled and said, "I know." He walked all the way to Gu Fuyou's yard, and seeing that her door was closed, he went forward and knocked on the door, calling out, "A-Man."
A muffled voice came from the room, shouting, "Go!"
Gu Shuangqing sighed and broke the door bolt. He walked into the room. It was very dark. Only through the faint light of the stars and the moon could he see the quilt curled up high on the bed. He walked to the bed and sat down, calling softly, "Aman."
Gu Fuyou said from under the quilt: "Get out!"
Gu Shuangqing said, "Dad shouldn't be so angry with you. You went to the city just to have fun. It's my fault that I couldn't accompany you."
There was silence in the quilt for a long time, and Gu Fuyou said sullenly: "It has nothing to do with you, brother."
Gu Shuangqing said gently, "There are still many details in the underground cave. Dad didn't figure it out. He didn't know your difficulties. He couldn't blame you for killing Zuo Tianyi. But it's not your fault either. You should explain everything to Dad. If you don't say it, how can Dad know? He just thinks you are doing it with ease."
Gu Fuyou suddenly rushed out: "How can I be so comfortable with this?"
Seeing that he had finally lured her out, Gu Shuangqing smiled faintly: "Look. You get so impulsive when you're anxious, and you can never be calm when talking to Dad. Ah Man, tell your eldest brother in detail about going down to the cave."
Gu Fuyou was silent for a long time, but finally he spoke out slowly, from deciphering the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, to entering an illusion, to finding the ear-covering bell.
Gu Shuangqing asked in confusion: "Ah Man, you can control the Ear-Covering Bell. Does it recognize you as its master?" Logically speaking, a magical artifact like the Ear-Covering Bell would not easily recognize its master. If it didn't want to, Gu Fuyou couldn't even touch it with his level of cultivation.
"No. It listens to me when it's happy, and ignores me when it's unhappy."
"How did you catch it?"
"I caught her suddenly." Gu Fuyou felt that it was because of Zhong Michu. Maybe she was from the dragon clan and was naturally attracted to treasures. The ear-covering bell stayed by her side for her sake, but she had promised not to reveal Zhong Michu's identity as a dragon, so she was just vague.
Gu Shuangqing pondered and asked Gu Fuyou to continue. Gu Fuyou said that everyone was stopped by Zuo Tianyi's people. She went into Ruizhu Palace alone to look for the people and met Zuo Tianyi who came to take the ear-covering bell.
Whenever Gu Fuyou thinks of what happened at that time, he still feels cold and breathless: "Ameng died in my arms, without a breath. I don't know if I didn't protect her well or if Zuo Tianyi took her life. Brother, I was scared too. I couldn't beat him, I hated him so much, and when I came to my senses, I had already killed him."
Gu Fuyou's voice trembled. Gu Shuangqing held Gu Fuyou's hand with her warm big hand, and gently stroked her cheek that was hit: "Okay, okay, Ah Man has done very well, does it still hurt?"
Gu Fuyou shook his head. Gu Shuangqing said, "Look, isn't it better to say it out like this? Dad has a hot temper. He pulls you in one direction and you pull him in another. The things he said are getting off track. I didn't ask the questions I wanted to ask properly. In the end, we had a quarrel and no one is happy."
Gu Fuyou said unhappily, "What if I tell him? He's still not satisfied. He doesn't like me."
"Nonsense." Gu Shuangqing patted her head and said, "How could he not like you? He is the closest person to you in the world. So, Ah Man, the last thing you said really hurt his heart."
"He broke my heart, too."
"So you are father and daughter, with the same temperament." Gu Shuangqing said: "How could Dad dislike you? Why do you think Elder Liuhe knows that you are proficient in formations?"
Gu Fuyou looked at him blankly. She had never understood this question. Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind, and she looked at Gu Shuangqing in a daze. Gu Shuangqing smiled and said, "The book "New Interpretation of Formation" that you annotated was given by Dad to Elder Liuhe. Only then did Elder Liuhe know your talent and appointed you as a student. Dad has been working hard to expand Xiaoyao City for the people, to be more powerful, and to give you a broader sky. You should understand that this world is not free, and there are walls everywhere. Ah Man, how big your sky is depends on how strong you are. But even if your cultivation is not good, your father and brother will support a broad world for you to roam."
Gu Fuyou blinked, hot tears rolling down her cheeks, she choked and said, "I don't want those, I don't want anything, I just want him to be with me more."
Gu Shuangqing wiped away her tears with his thumb and said sadly, "You know you can't, because we are members of the Gu family and we can't change. Ah Man, you are not a child anymore, you can't always act like a spoiled child. You have grown up, you have to understand that there are many things in life that you have to do, but even if it is a last resort, Dad is trying his best to have both. He has a bad temper and is not thoughtful. He may not be a perfect father, but he has never let you down."
"Ah Man, the people you can hurt recklessly are always those who love you. It is true that Dad is also wrong, but you are his daughter. If you bow your head to him first, he will admit his mistake."