Chapter 62: Money is Always Important

In the palace, in front of piles of documents, the king of Qin lowers his pen, and waves a eunuch over.

“Your highness.” The eunuch bends his back down to the king, waiting for his order.

The king hesitates before he speaks: “How has the Wu An mansion been in the past few days.”

“Report to your highness,” the eunuch’s head stays low, “it is rarely visited as usual, and that miss Gu appears to stay in mourning of the lord Wu An and his wife.”

“She is in mourning?” Hearing that, the king of Qin was dumbfounded for a moment but quickly returns back to usual. “That is Confucian tradition.”

Then, finding it funny, he laughs. “Where did she learn that? I doubt Bai Qi is the one who taught her about that.”

After merely a few laughters, he signs. “At least she is devoted to her master, not letting down his passion spent on her.” “I heard that she is knowledgeable, especially in military…”

Eunuch stays silent; speak less and do more is the best way to live long when serving a king.

The king rises from his seat.

“Ready my carriage; Gua will pay her a visit.”

“Yes.”

Lao Lian is walking Blackie, and only the sound of hooves and neighs can be heard in the yard.

While he is gently stroking Blackie’s fur, the door is knocked. Lao Lian frowns in wonder since the mansion rarely has a visitor.

Releasing Blackie and not concerned of it running free, Lao Lian approaches the gate and pushes it open.

Seeing the person outside, the always indifferent Lao Lian hurriedly falls to the ground: “Greetings to your highness. Please forgive me for not welcoming you in time.”

“It is not a problem.” The king lifts up one hand. “There are not many people in this house, so you can let go of the courtesy.”

The king of Qin looks around, only seeing desolate scenes in the yard.

Turning his head to Lao Lian, he asks: “Bai Qi’s disciple, where is she?”

“Please follow me, your highness.”

Leading the way, Lao Lian walks to the yard where Gu Nan is, the two royal personal guards left on watch outside.

Into the yard, a person in white under the tree can be seen. She is reading from bamboo slips.

A few leaves remain on the old tree’s branches, under which sits the person in menswear, her graceful temperament alone with the dress almost making her a noble son.

Maybe she is too into the book to notice the king’s arrival, she sits still in the gentle breezes under the old tree, like a beautiful and delicate figure in a water-ink painting.

Stepping into the yard, behind Gu Nan, the King of Qin opens his mouth: “What are you reading?”

The old but hefty voice startles Gu Nan out of her trance. She turns toward the king of Qin, eyes filled with surprise.

Her heightened senses allow to detect movements as trivial as a mouse running around, and yet she did not notice that the king had come behind her, even though she was in a trance.

Apparently, the king of Qin is masterful at martial arts as well.

Since the king is here, Gu Nan has to pay her proper respect and welcome his highness, despite her reluctance to do so at the moment.

“Greetings, your highness.”

And that is it.

The king narrows his eyes, smiling. “You are not asking for my forgiveness despite your lack of manner in my presence. I may have overestimated your master; after all, he did not teach you about manners, did he?”

Saying so, he glances over the book in Gu Nan’s hand, stroking his beard. “Theory in chi?”

“Yes.” Gu Nan dips her head. “My master gave it to me, but did not have the time to explain to me its content.”

…

“This book is indeed incomprehensible to most.” The king falls in silence for a while and then suddenly breaks it with a laughter, “tell me what you want to know about it. I will explain them to you.”

An odd look appears on Gu Nan’s expression.

The king in front of her is just as indecipherable as the book in her hands. He is unpredictable on the court, and yet when he decides on something, no one can talk him out of it. He is magnificent and serious in front of his generals and ministers, yet also smiling and gentle in private.

Now, the king wants to teach her.

“Tell me about your questions; gua may be able to answer some of them.”

Gu Nan speaks hesitantly: “‘drive the chi by circulation period; recover it back to the void.’ What does it mean?”

“That is the way to circulate your chi… do you know what ‘circulation period’ is?” Seeing Gu Nan shake her head, the king of Qin continues: “the chi circulates through your body and passes the twelve meridians and seventy-two acupoints. That is one circulation period…”

The king of Qin explains with meticulous care, and even jokes occasionally midsession.

Should he not be a king, he would make a great teacher.

The two stays in the yard from morning to afternoon, and the lecture gradually turns into chatter.

“Your master and I were old friends.” Receiving the teacup from Gu Nan, he speaks slowly.

“Since Bai Qi calls you Nan’er, I will call you Nan’er as well.”

“Whatever your highness see fit.” Gu Nan recovers the slips; she has now fully comprehended everything in the book.

The king of Qin is considering something, warm teacup in his palms, comforting him in the cold weather.

After a while, he speaks: “Nan’er, do you blame me for your master’s death?”

As if he has recognized something, he adds: “just speak honestly, I am now your uncle Ying, not a king.”

Gu Nan puts aside the bamboo slips.

Frankly speaking, if the king had not insisted on an invasion north, Bai Qi would not have to propose to sacrifice himself.

Finally, she signs: “it is master’s own choice; I cannot put the blame on anyone else.”

Afterall, it is not a bad ending compared to the history she knows of where Bai Qi was forced to commit suicide by order due to his reputation surpassing the king.

Gu Nan is less than twenty in age, but the king of Qin feels like he is talking to some one as old as he is.

Temperament and knowledge are outstanding, but she lacks the spirit that other youngsters have. The king makes the evaluation in his heart.

In fact, Gu Nan planned to journey across the world after Bai Qi’s death.

However, she made the promise to take a look at the prosperous world.  

Therefore, Gu Nan stays in Qin, the place that her master fought for till death.

She knows that, in a few years, an emperor that sweeps over all other six kingdoms will emerge here.

His name is Ying Zheng.

“Nan’er, gua wants you to be a hundred-men general, leading a battalion of forbidden army.” The king suddenly proposes so.

Leader of a battalion of forbidden army is not a high-ranking official. However, it requires the general to always be at the side of the king’s palace.

As a result, the king can more easily evaluate Gu Nan’s capability this way.

Gu Nan frowns at the proposal. “Your highness, three years of mourning require me to be away from the court.”

“It is gua that promotes you, so you can disregard the tradition for the commoners.” The king of Qin laughs. “How about this: gua won’t appoint you as the general; instead, you just train a battalion of forbidden army as a favor to me. Is that good?”

After that, the king lowers his voice to Gu Nan: “you see, there is not any wealth in the mansion. Money is always important whatever you do.”

Hearing that, Gu Nan awkwardly notices that the Wu An mansion has already run out of money.

Chapter 62: Money is Always Important

In the palace, in front of piles of documents, the king of Qin lowers his pen, and waves a eunuch over.

“Your highness.” The eunuch bends his back down to the king, waiting for his order.

The king hesitates before he speaks: “How has the Wu An mansion been in the past few days.”

“Report to your highness,” the eunuch’s head stays low, “it is rarely visited as usual, and that miss Gu appears to stay in mourning of the lord Wu An and his wife.”

“She is in mourning?” Hearing that, the king of Qin was dumbfounded for a moment but quickly returns back to usual. “That is Confucian tradition.”

Then, finding it funny, he laughs. “Where did she learn that? I doubt Bai Qi is the one who taught her about that.”

After merely a few laughters, he signs. “At least she is devoted to her master, not letting down his passion spent on her.” “I heard that she is knowledgeable, especially in military…”

Eunuch stays silent; speak less and do more is the best way to live long when serving a king.

The king rises from his seat.

“Ready my carriage; Gua will pay her a visit.”

“Yes.”

Lao Lian is walking Blackie, and only the sound of hooves and neighs can be heard in the yard.

While he is gently stroking Blackie’s fur, the door is knocked. Lao Lian frowns in wonder since the mansion rarely has a visitor.

Releasing Blackie and not concerned of it running free, Lao Lian approaches the gate and pushes it open.

Seeing the person outside, the always indifferent Lao Lian hurriedly falls to the ground: “Greetings to your highness. Please forgive me for not welcoming you in time.”

“It is not a problem.” The king lifts up one hand. “There are not many people in this house, so you can let go of the courtesy.”

The king of Qin looks around, only seeing desolate scenes in the yard.

Turning his head to Lao Lian, he asks: “Bai Qi’s disciple, where is she?”

“Please follow me, your highness.”

Leading the way, Lao Lian walks to the yard where Gu Nan is, the two royal personal guards left on watch outside.

Into the yard, a person in white under the tree can be seen. She is reading from bamboo slips.

A few leaves remain on the old tree’s branches, under which sits the person in menswear, her graceful temperament alone with the dress almost making her a noble son.

Maybe she is too into the book to notice the king’s arrival, she sits still in the gentle breezes under the old tree, like a beautiful and delicate figure in a water-ink painting.

Stepping into the yard, behind Gu Nan, the King of Qin opens his mouth: “What are you reading?”

The old but hefty voice startles Gu Nan out of her trance. She turns toward the king of Qin, eyes filled with surprise.

Her heightened senses allow to detect movements as trivial as a mouse running around, and yet she did not notice that the king had come behind her, even though she was in a trance.

Apparently, the king of Qin is masterful at martial arts as well.

Since the king is here, Gu Nan has to pay her proper respect and welcome his highness, despite her reluctance to do so at the moment.

“Greetings, your highness.”

And that is it.

The king narrows his eyes, smiling. “You are not asking for my forgiveness despite your lack of manner in my presence. I may have overestimated your master; after all, he did not teach you about manners, did he?”

Saying so, he glances over the book in Gu Nan’s hand, stroking his beard. “Theory in chi?”

“Yes.” Gu Nan dips her head. “My master gave it to me, but did not have the time to explain to me its content.”

…

“This book is indeed incomprehensible to most.” The king falls in silence for a while and then suddenly breaks it with a laughter, “tell me what you want to know about it. I will explain them to you.”

An odd look appears on Gu Nan’s expression.

The king in front of her is just as indecipherable as the book in her hands. He is unpredictable on the court, and yet when he decides on something, no one can talk him out of it. He is magnificent and serious in front of his generals and ministers, yet also smiling and gentle in private.

Now, the king wants to teach her.

“Tell me about your questions; gua may be able to answer some of them.”

Gu Nan speaks hesitantly: “‘drive the chi by circulation period; recover it back to the void.’ What does it mean?”

“That is the way to circulate your chi… do you know what ‘circulation period’ is?” Seeing Gu Nan shake her head, the king of Qin continues: “the chi circulates through your body and passes the twelve meridians and seventy-two acupoints. That is one circulation period…”

The king of Qin explains with meticulous care, and even jokes occasionally midsession.

Should he not be a king, he would make a great teacher.

The two stays in the yard from morning to afternoon, and the lecture gradually turns into chatter.

“Your master and I were old friends.” Receiving the teacup from Gu Nan, he speaks slowly.

“Since Bai Qi calls you Nan’er, I will call you Nan’er as well.”

“Whatever your highness see fit.” Gu Nan recovers the slips; she has now fully comprehended everything in the book.

The king of Qin is considering something, warm teacup in his palms, comforting him in the cold weather.

After a while, he speaks: “Nan’er, do you blame me for your master’s death?”

As if he has recognized something, he adds: “just speak honestly, I am now your uncle Ying, not a king.”

Gu Nan puts aside the bamboo slips.

Frankly speaking, if the king had not insisted on an invasion north, Bai Qi would not have to propose to sacrifice himself.

Finally, she signs: “it is master’s own choice; I cannot put the blame on anyone else.”

Afterall, it is not a bad ending compared to the history she knows of where Bai Qi was forced to commit suicide by order due to his reputation surpassing the king.

Gu Nan is less than twenty in age, but the king of Qin feels like he is talking to some one as old as he is.

Temperament and knowledge are outstanding, but she lacks the spirit that other youngsters have. The king makes the evaluation in his heart.

In fact, Gu Nan planned to journey across the world after Bai Qi’s death.

However, she made the promise to take a look at the prosperous world.  

Therefore, Gu Nan stays in Qin, the place that her master fought for till death.

She knows that, in a few years, an emperor that sweeps over all other six kingdoms will emerge here.

His name is Ying Zheng.

“Nan’er, gua wants you to be a hundred-men general, leading a battalion of forbidden army.” The king suddenly proposes so.

Leader of a battalion of forbidden army is not a high-ranking official. However, it requires the general to always be at the side of the king’s palace.

As a result, the king can more easily evaluate Gu Nan’s capability this way.

Gu Nan frowns at the proposal. “Your highness, three years of mourning require me to be away from the court.”

“It is gua that promotes you, so you can disregard the tradition for the commoners.” The king of Qin laughs. “How about this: gua won’t appoint you as the general; instead, you just train a battalion of forbidden army as a favor to me. Is that good?”

After that, the king lowers his voice to Gu Nan: “you see, there is not any wealth in the mansion. Money is always important whatever you do.”

Hearing that, Gu Nan awkwardly notices that the Wu An mansion has already run out of money.