I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Gu Yan turned to look at Fu Wanqing, her voice calm, as if she were making a final decision.

"Let's go see Lady Yunshu, I'll talk to her."

Fu Wanqing nodded without saying anything more and followed behind him.

The two walked out of Yingwu Hall together. The lights in the corridor were still on, casting a warm yellow glow on the wooden floor.

Gu Yan walked ahead, taking large, steady steps, the Demon-Suppressing Blade at her waist swaying gently with each step.

Fu Wanqing followed behind, her long pink hair flowing behind her, and the red string on her wrist swaying back and forth.

The jade beads clinked together, making a soft sound, like the wind blowing through a wind chime, or like the sound of a heartbeat.

Neither of them spoke; the only sound in the corridor was footsteps, tap-tap-tap, one after another.

......

Gu Yan and Fu Wanqing quickly found Fu Yunshu, who was reading documents in her study.

Gu Yan got straight to the point, saying she was willing to go to Shanghai to see Miss Chen, and Fu Yunshu nodded in satisfaction.

She put down the documents in her hand, looked up at Gu Yan, and her eagle-like eyes shone with light.

"The Kuroshio Current Secret Realm in the South China Sea has been showing unusual activity recently, and it is estimated that it will reappear in the next few days."

"There is a rare life substance in the secret realm that may be helpful to Master Gu's body."

"This time I will personally lead the team; we can't let those good things fall into other people's hands."

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment. The former prime minister personally leading a team to the Black Tide Secret Realm, this was too much of a show of force.

"Mr. Fu, it's too much trouble for you to go in person."

Fu Yunshu waved her hand, a faint smile on her lips.

"No trouble at all. My old bones can still move around. I'll just consider it a chance to get some exercise."

"Besides, the situation in the South China Sea is quite complicated, and I don't feel comfortable letting others go there."

Gu Yan nodded, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. The old man was trying to find something to prolong his life.

"Thank you so much, Elder Fu. I will always remember your great kindness."

Fu Yunshu didn't say anything more, and waved her hand to indicate that he could go back and rest.

Gu Yan turned and walked out of the study, with Fu Wanqing following behind him. The two of them went back to their respective rooms.

The room was quiet, with only the moonlight filtering through the gauze curtains.

Gu Yan walked to the table and saw that the Demon-Suppressing Blade was still there, its blade as black as ink.

He recalled Pei Zhanyue's words: this knife has a spirit, and it's best to keep it by your side at all times.

"As long as the sword is there, the swordsman is there; if the sword dies, the swordsman dies." This is the most basic rule for swordsmen.

He reached out and picked up the knife. The blade was icy cold, and it felt reassuring to hold in his hand.

Then he lay down on the bed, holding the Demon-Suppressing Blade in his arms, the scabbard pressed against his chest.

The coolness of the blade seeped through his clothes, but he felt reassured.

I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep, my breathing becoming even and deep.

......

The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the window and fell on Gu Yan's face.

In his dazed state, he felt the door being pulled open with a soft sound.

He slowly got up, his eyes not yet fully open, his clothes loosely draped over his shoulders.

The shirt was not buttoned properly, revealing a pale chest and delicate collarbones.

His pants were hanging around his waist, his belt unfastened, giving him a lazy, just-woke-up look.

Fu Wanqing stood at the door, intending to wake him up for breakfast.

Upon seeing this scene, her heart suddenly started racing, pounding loudly.

She told herself not to look, to turn away quickly, because it was improper to look at.

But her beautiful eyes were honest; they were glued to Gu Yan and couldn't be looked away.

From collarbone to chest, from waistline to wrists, every part was examined in great detail.

Her face flushed instantly, as red as a ripe apple, and her ears burned.

Gu Yan rubbed her eyes and then realized that it was Fu Wanqing standing at the door.

"Good morning, Wanqing. Why are you here so early?"

His voice was still a little hoarse, with the languid quality of someone who had just woken up.

Fu Wanqing opened her mouth as if to say something, but her throat seemed to be blocked.

He managed to squeeze out only "Time for breakfast," then turned and ran.

He ran a couple of steps and then stopped, standing with his back to Gu Yan, not daring to turn around.

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, looked down at herself, and then realized that she wasn't dressed properly.

He quickly buttoned up his clothes, fastened his belt, and hung the Demon-Suppressing Blade at his waist.

The blade pressed against my thigh, heavy and sturdy, and I instantly felt more alert.

"Alright, let's go have breakfast."

Fu Wanqing turned her head, the blush on her face not yet completely gone.

She glanced at Gu Yan; after dressing up, she looked completely different.

Clad in white with a black sword, standing tall and straight, he exuded the air of a sicklyly beautiful young man.

Her heart skipped a beat again, but this time she held back and didn't show it.

The two walked out of the room one after the other, heading towards the main hall.

The main hall was now full of people; all the elders of the Fu family had arrived.

The elderly men and women with gray hair sat on both sides, their expressions increasingly serious.

Fu Yunshu sat in the main seat in the very center, her back straight and her presence commanding respect.

To the right sat a middle-aged couple, dressed in luxurious clothes and exuding an air of refinement.

Those were Fu Wanqing's parents, Fu Yunshu's son and daughter-in-law.

The man had a square face and resembled Fu Yunshu somewhat, but lacked her sharpness.

The woman was well-maintained, with fair skin, and her features resembled Fu Wanqing's.

But her expression was much colder than Fu Wanqing's, with a faint sense of aloofness at the corners of her mouth.

There was an empty seat on the left, which was where Fu Shiwei usually sat.

But she's not here today; she's still at the border military camp and hasn't returned to Jinghai.

After waiting for a while, the elders grew impatient and began to whisper among themselves.

An old man with a white beard spoke first, his voice hoarse but full of energy.

"Master Gu is now with our Fu family; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"The Imperial Jade, the youngest legend of Great Xia, such a person cannot be let go."

"We have to find a way to keep him in the Fu family, any means necessary."

An old woman next to him chimed in, her voice high-pitched but full of confidence.

"That's right, we should finalize the marriage as soon as possible and make it a fait accompli."

"Shi Wei and Master Gu are about the same age, both young people, they'll get to know each other better."

"I think they are a perfect match. One is the Marquis of Wu'an, and the other is the Jade of the Empire. They are a match made in heaven."

Another elder spoke up, his tone even more urgent, as if afraid someone else would beat him to it.

"Not only Shi Wei, but we have several other girls of marriageable age in our family who are also worth considering."

"Master Gu, please feel free to choose whichever one you like. Our Fu family doesn't discriminate."

"As long as we can keep Master Gu in the Fu family, we can discuss any conditions."

Another elder stood up, his voice so loud it shook the entire hall.

"I have some inside information. I heard that when Master Gu was in the Pei family, the mother and daughter in the Pei family had feelings for him."

"Pei Yuran was always hanging around him, and Pei Youyi didn't even try to avoid it."

"Our Fu family can't fall behind. We have to act quickly, or we won't even get a taste of the soup."

The person next to him tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to be quiet, but no one listened.

Fu Wanqing's parents exchanged a glance, and the middle-aged woman spoke first.

"Mom, I think the elders are right. We really should consider Shi Wei's situation."

"It's rare for Master Gu to come to the Fu family, so why not take this opportunity to have Shi Wei come back from the border and stay for a few days?"

"If the two of them spend more time together, they might just fall in love, and we won't have to worry about it."