stonecrandall Chapter 1161 Revealing My Identity, Taking Step 2!
Chapter 1161 Revealing My Identity, Taking Step 2!
Now, what Gao Yao needs to do is to stage this scene ahead of time.
"Why did Emperor Qing kill her?" Si Gu Jian's voice was terrifyingly calm, but Gao Yao could hear the suppressed emotions within it.
“Power, fear, and her overly advanced ideas,” Gao Yao said slowly. “Ye Qingmei wanted to change the world, give ordinary people rights, and break the monopoly of powerful clans. In Emperor Qing’s eyes, these were threats that shook the foundation of the country. Moreover, her abilities were too strong, so strong that they made an emperor uneasy.”
Si Gu Jian remained silent for a long time. Only the sound of wind rustling through bamboo leaves and the faint clamor of Dongyi City in the distance remained within the Sword Pavilion. This city, which he protected, appeared prosperous and stable on the surface, but in reality, it was caught between major powers, walking on thin ice.
“Even if what you say is true,” Si Gu Jian finally spoke, “Emperor Qing is not so easy to kill. Moreover, he is deep in thought and extremely cunning.”
“Of course I know,” Gao Yao nodded. “So we need a plan, we need the right timing, and we need more people involved.”
Si Gu Jian raised his eyes and looked directly at Gao Yao: "Ku He? Ye Liuyun?"
“Perhaps,” Gao Yao didn’t deny it, “but I need to ascertain your attitude first. After all, you’re the first one.”
Si Gu Jian stood up, walked to the window, and looked towards Dongyi City in the distance. This city, which he had protected for decades, struggled to survive every day amidst the power struggles of various nations. Ye Qingmei had also left her mark here; her ideals, her dreams, and her seemingly whimsical yet highly forward-thinking ideas had all stirred up waves in this city.
“Dongyi City cannot participate directly.” Si Gu Jian said with his back to Gao Yao, “This city is too fragile and cannot withstand the wrath of Nanqing.”
“I understand.” Gao Yao also stood up. “A duel between Grandmasters has nothing to do with the city or the country. It’s just a personal grudge, a contest between the pinnacle of martial arts.”
Si Gu Jian turned around, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "You're very smart; you know how to set boundaries."
"So, what is your answer?"
Si Gu Jian did not answer directly, but asked instead, "Does Fan Xian know about these things?"
Gao Yao shook his head: "He doesn't know the whole truth yet. Emperor Qing is hiding it too well, and Fan Xian is still young and inexperienced. Knowing too much would be disadvantageous for him."
When do you plan to tell him?
“Wait until the time is right,” Gao Yao said. “Wait until we are ready, until Emperor Qing’s attention is diverted to other things, until Fan Xian truly has the strength to face all of this.”
Si Gu Jian walked back to the table and poured two more cups of tea. This time, he didn't sit down, but instead handed one of the cups to Gao Yao.
"The tea has gone cold," he said.
Gao Yao took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp: "Cool tea quenches thirst."
Si Gu Jian finally revealed a genuine smile, a smile tinged with a hint of vicissitude and a touch of resolute determination: "Alright. I can cooperate with you, but on one condition."
"please say."
"No matter what the plan is, no matter what the final outcome is, Dongyi City must not become a battlefield, and its people should not be implicated."
Gao Yao nodded solemnly: "I assure you."
The two grandmasters exchanged a glance, both seeing a tacit understanding in each other's eyes. At this moment, though the agreement was not explicitly stated, it had been reached silently between them.
Gao knew that this was only the first step. To deal with someone like Emperor Qing, a meticulous plan was needed, along with the involvement of more forces, and most importantly, the right timing. But he wasn't in a hurry; he had plenty of time to lay the groundwork and plenty of patience to wait.
In Si Gu Jian's heart, however, emerged the image of a woman—a woman from the temple, with a radiant smile and eyes that held the stars and the sea. She had changed so many people and left behind so many unfulfilled dreams.
Perhaps it's time to repay that favor.
Outside the Sword Pavilion, dusk was falling. One by one, the lights of Dongyi City illuminated the city that never sleeps. And within the Sword Pavilion, atop the city's highest point, a conspiracy that would reshape the world was just beginning.
When Gao Yao left, Si Gu Jian saw him to the door.
"Will you tell Ku He and Ye Liuyun?" Si Gu Jian asked.
Gao Yao stopped and looked back at the grandmaster who had guarded Dongyi City for decades: "Yes, but it will take time and a method. Everyone's motivation is different, so different approaches are needed."
“Ye Liuyun is not easy to persuade,” Si Gu Jian reminded him. “He is from the Qing Kingdom and has close ties with the royal family.”
“I know,” Gao Yao nodded, “but I believe that every grandmaster has his own path. When the great path conflicts with personal feelings, they will make a choice.”
Si Gu Jian remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Why did you do all this? To avenge Ye Qingmei? Or do you have your own motives?"
Gao Yao gazed into the distance, his eyes seemingly traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, finally seeing the prosperous yet dangerous capital of the Qing Kingdom.
“Both,” he finally answered. “But most importantly, Emperor Qing’s existence has become an obstacle to the world’s progress. Some things need to change; some people need to pay the price for what they have done.”
After saying that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing at the end of the bamboo path.
At this point, Gao Yao was no longer the timid cook who had just transmigrated to the mythical Qin Dynasty world. Time and experience had sculpted that once insignificant figure, merely seeking survival, into a strategist well-versed in political maneuvering and wielding power.
What he relied on was the accumulation of the entire Chinese civilization—from gunpowder technology to military systems, from economic theories to political strategies, all of which were the crystallization of wisdom that this era could not match.
Gao Yao had been biding his time since he came into this world. Like a spider lurking in the shadows, he slowly and patiently wove his web.
The rise of the Gao Clan Chamber of Commerce was merely the most superficial part of his plan. On the surface, he was just a successful businessman, a middleman of interests moving among the powerful figures of various countries. But in secret, he had already planted countless spies in Nanqing, Beiqi, and Dongyi City, and possessed a wealth of unknown secrets.
“It’s time to take action.” Gao Yao stood in the top-floor study of the Chamber of Commerce, overlooking the myriad lights of Dongyi City, a resolute glint in his eyes.
He doesn't need to climb up from the bottom step by step, because that's not his style, nor is it his strength. He holds a trump card that transcends time, and the first move of that card will be played on Emperor Qing.
Emperor Qing—the ruler of Southern Qing—appeared to be diligent and hardworking, leading the country to unprecedented prosperity. But Gao Yao could see clearly that beneath this prosperity, undercurrents were surging. The struggle between the eldest and second princes, whom Emperor Qing was intentionally grooming, had long since evolved from political disagreements in the court into a full-scale battle for military, financial, and personnel power.
"The art of imperial rule, the art of checks and balances," Gao Yao sneered. Emperor Qing was well aware of the power struggles between his sons, and even enjoyed them. As long as he was on the throne, this conflict would always remain under control. The two princes were like two leashed dogs, maintaining their aggression but unable to truly harm each other—or their master.