Gongsun Feixue had never imagined that the seemingly gentle young Taoist before her was the famous Marquis Qin Wu, renowned throughout the land for his achievements. In recent years, Qilin had swallowed Jiangnan, Yuwen Lie had tread through the Western Regions, and the Regent King had torn through Dangxiang, topics that people enthusiastically discussed.
The person whom rumors circulated about was now right in front of her, causing Gongsun Feixue to be momentarily dazed.
Shouldn’t he have been entering Central State with Ling Pingyang and a thousand iron riders of the Qilin Army?
Gongsun Wuyue looked at Li Guanyi and said calmly, "Though Chengbi always refused to disclose your identity, after careful consideration, it’s not hard to deduce. I’ve been in the Martial World for many years and seldom am I wrong."
Li Guanyi praised, "Senior, you’re impressive."
Gongsun Wuyue looked at Li Guanyi and continued, "Feixue is slightly older than you, yet she possesses beauty and skill in martial arts, and her character is considered top-notch among her peers; Piaomiao Pavilion is also a top-tier force in the Martial World, and the Gongshu Mechanism can help you establish a foothold in Jiangnan."
After thinking it over, Li Guanyi didn’t outright refuse without sparing feelings but smiled and said, "Senior, are you trying to secure a bet on me through a marriage alliance, and then seek stability for your family?"
For noble families, whether related to the court or the Martial World, it was common to place their bets on the fate of the land during grave dangers—the winner rises, the loser falls.
Gongsun Wuyue said, "For the family’s consideration, and moreover, I believe."
"A disciple of Zu Wenyuan would be a good match."
Li Guanyi responded, "However, senior betting on me through a marriage alliance might not yield your desired outcome."
Gongsun Wuyue asked, "Oh?"
The young Taoist said with a carefree tone, "Let’s suppose, just suppose, that I indeed marry Miss Gongsun Feixue and we respect each other as guests. Suppose that the land of Jiangnan under me truly rises, not to the point of complete peace, but as a significant regional power."
"Then, the Gongsun Family would become part of the Royal Family."
"When the Gongsun Family is part of the Royal Family, sitting in that position with the power of the Gongshu Mechanism in hand, what do you think, at that time, would the Gongsun Family Head choose?"
"Would they want to control my descendants?"
"Royal Family, Martial World, Gongshu Mechanism... Even if the Gongsun Family Head at that time doesn’t harbor such thoughts, senior, consider this, how would the generals and strategists under the Qilin Army view the Gongsun Family then?"
"Have you forgotten the story of the Red Emperor’s wife’s family, senior Gongsun?"
"If the Gongshu Family becomes part of the Royal Family with mechanical techniques and lethal weapons, harboring murderous intentions, they would try to control the Qilin Army, and at that time, the War Generals of the Qilin Army would inevitably retaliate."
"And if they harbored no such intentions, standing as part of the Royal Family yet possessing martial skills and mechanisms would actually make them an easier target for elimination."
"Your elder brother died because of the turmoil in the Martial World, why do you think the conflicts within the realm and the court would be any less?"
"Even if the next generation doesn’t face problems, what about after that?"
"Struggles within the Martial World can still leave a family intact."
"But conflicts within the court could lead to the extermination of a family."
The matter Li Guanyi referred to concerning the Red Emperor’s wife controlling the court, engaged in both overt and covert struggles with famed ministers and generals from the founding years, left Gongsun Wuyue silent, worried about these issues, and she replied with a forced smile, "The Qilin Army is benevolent."
This was one of the negative effects brought by the reputation for benevolence.
Everyone assumed that the force Li Guanyi belonged to wouldn’t commit actions too detrimental to moral values.
Li Guanyi smiled, his tone calm and poised, and said softly:
"Moreover, I have a strategist under my command."
"He is my right-hand man!"
"Senior, you’ve heard of Zhou Pinglu’s story, but have you heard of this man, Wen He?"
Li Guanyi, serene and composed, was drinking tea.
He then noticed a change in the expression of senior Gongsun Wuyue, who seemed somewhat helpless, originally planning to discuss the credibility of this proposed marriage alliance and to refute the scenarios Li Guanyi had painted.
But upon hearing this name, she immediately dismissed the thought.
Helplessly she said, "With such a person as your strategist, my family, if allied with you, might enjoy decades of prosperity but would probably face a purge afterward. I have heard of him, indeed; rumors portray him as ruthlessly scheming yet reputedly virtuous..."
"If he were to purge, my family’s fortune would be thoroughly scrambled."
"You reject and cite this person as a damper."
Li Guanyi noticed Gongsun Wuyue’s enthusiasm drop significantly.
He couldn’t help but inwardly admire this.
Truly, a person’s reputation precedes them.
Not only among the students of the Academy.
Even a family like the Gongsun Family, which was relatively closer to Central State, seemed to have heard of Wen He’s reputation.
Li Guanyi wasn’t sure how to evaluate this.
Should he say he was famous all around or infamous everywhere?
He could only inwardly admire.
Impressive, impressive.
He then silently decided to add some more Powder for Anesthesia to Mr. Wen He’s drink and to tie three extra knots on that Treasure Weapon grade rope; Li Guanyi suspected he wouldn’t be the first to want to take him by surprise.
Realizing the turning point in the conversation, Li Guanyi then asked with a smile:
"Senior, do you know Wen He?"
Gongsun Wuyue replied, "Certainly, many students who came to buy Mechanical Crossbows from my family gritted their teeth, insisting they must shoot Wen He, as it’s required for the welfare of the populace, and one seemed to be a friend of Mr. Wen He."
"He came weeping bitterly, saying he couldn’t do this to a friend, but for the sake of the people, it was necessary to eliminate Wen He. After killing you, I won’t live alone, he sobbed while he picked the most powerful burst fire Mechanical Crossbow offered by my family for outside use."