Chapter 226: Gu Qingzhou Appears, A Top-Level Understanding of the Aggrieved (2)
"Forget it, it's not a big deal."
Gu Hanyan gave a slight smile and gently shook her head.
She knew exactly who Su Qing meant, but she had no intention of discussing this with anyone.
Some things... the fewer people who knew, the better.
Su Qing nodded and didn't push it.
He pulled out some pastries he'd swiped from Prince Qi's estate and placed them on the small table.
"Did you come to me today because you ran into some kind of trouble?"
Gu Hanyan picked up a pastry, smiling as she asked.
"Auntie, that's not fair. I drop by all the time, you know!"
Su Qing immediately protested.
Ever since he had settled this former saintess here, he'd been showing up every few days.
Usually with snacks in hand to build goodwill—he'd been very diligent.
"No, I can tell. Qing'er has something on his mind."
Gu Hanyan reached out and gently tapped his cheek, her tone full of affection.
She had a cold personality, but her eyes were sharp.
"Well... Auntie, there's something kind of difficult I want to ask your help with."
Su Qing blinked and got straight to the point.
He knew this beautiful elder liked people to be direct—so he just laid it out.
As he spoke, he didn't forget to hug her soft, delicate body.
And he added a bit of emotional manipulation to his pitch.
The gist of it: if the Heavenly Dao Sect Master really wanted him dead, he might not make it back alive.
After hearing that, Gu Hanyan's eyes revealed a hint of contemplation.
Right now, she was in exile, still wanted by the Demonic Sect.
To play it safe, she normally wouldn't want to risk getting into conflict with the Heavenly Dao Sect.
After all, that sect was one of the true righteous pillars of the Southern Dynasty.
Getting into a fight with them would mean being hunted by both righteous and demonic factions.
Then again... it all depended on who was making the request.
If it were anyone else, she'd just scoff and tell them to scram.
But this was her nephew asking!
Their bond had grown closer and closer over time, practically like family now.
Even putting that aside, she'd eaten his food, taken his treasures—it was basic courtesy.
Not to mention, she'd used up a ton of precious herbs and resources here.
At this point, she was practically living as his guest.
Whether out of personal feelings or basic decency, how could she refuse him?
And there was another very important reason she decided to agree…
Gu Hanyan glanced down at her chest.
The young man lay on her chest, looking up with hopeful eyes.
That beautiful, innocent face—it made it impossible to say no!
"Auntie, if you don't help me, you might not get to see your dear nephew ever again!"
Su Qing added, rubbing his eyes with fake grief.
He was just a few fake tears away from making the performance Oscar-worthy.
"Fine, fine... don't be so dramatic. Your Empress would never let anything happen to you."
Gu Hanyan finally gave in under the pressure of those eyes and nodded.
A lover of younger men could never resist a beautiful boy's pleading look—it was perfectly reasonable.
"I knew Auntie cared about me most!"
Su Qing replied with exaggerated emotion.
He felt like he was getting better and better at acting spoiled.
But hey—if it works, it works. That made it the right path, right?
"I really can't say no to you... I assume that Empress already knows about me?"
"She sent so many rare treasures—there's no way she wouldn't have asked."
Gu Hanyan tapped his cheek again and asked.
"Mm, exactly. That's why Her Majesty didn't send any other experts."
Su Qing answered honestly.
"She showed goodwill, so I'll help. Consider it a first step in collaboration."
"But because of my sensitive status, there's always a risk of complications."
"So I won't be traveling with you. I'll only act when absolutely necessary, and I'll be taking my disciple with me."
Gu Hanyan stated her conditions seriously.
Her identity was too delicate—she couldn't appear openly in broad daylight.
If she were exposed, it would stir up trouble from all corners of the Demonic Sect.
"That would only invite danger and unexpected changes. We must avoid that."
"Alright. Honestly, even if you hadn't said it, I would've told you anyway."
Su Qing readily agreed, no hesitation whatsoever.
"Alright, alright. You can let go of me now, can't you? Such a clingy child."
Gu Hanyan gave him a fond smile and ruffled his hair.
Su Qing shyly sat back down and began nibbling on pastries.
After lingering for a bit, Su Qing said his goodbyes and left.
"You've been hiding over there just watching him—aren't you going to come say hello?"
Gu Hanyan looked out at the empty courtyard and sighed softly.
Her expression was complicated—clearly, her emotions were difficult to contain.
From around the corner, a tall figure silently stepped into view and approached her.
It was a tall, graceful woman.
She had long, pale golden hair, an elegant posture, and wore a moon-white dress that gave her a soft, ethereal aura—like a moonlit fairy descending to earth.
Her beautiful features even bore some resemblance to Gu Hanyan's.
But her movements were slightly awkward; she lifted her dress as she walked, as if she'd never moved this way before.
"Aunt..."
Her voice was airy and light.
This person was none other than Gu Qingzhou, who had just completed the first stage of the Nine Deaths Silkworm Art!
Only now, she could truly be called she.
Gu Hanyan's expression twisted with complexity at the familiar title.
When her nephew had emerged from his cocoon not long ago, the shock had been overwhelming.
Even now, she hadn't fully processed it.
Anyone would struggle to accept something like this.
The Nine Deaths Silkworm Art was an extraordinarily mysterious cultivation technique.