“Elder Lord Gu? Which Elder Lord Gu are you referring to?” Qin Yining stood up in confusion.

Bingtang replied, “The one who came to Great Zhou with us – Imperial Tutor Gu Shixiong, Elder Lord Gu, whose granddaughter Gu Chang is Prince Yan’s concubine.”

“I understand.” Qin Yining couldn’t help but frown as she began pacing.

She had no dealings with Gu Shixiong, and she also knew that her father had no connection with him either. Why would this person suddenly come calling?

This matter must be related to the recent events in the palace.

Gu Shixiong was someone who had held the position of Grand Tutor when the Great Emperor was still a prince. Although the Great Emperor was muddled and incompetent, he had always held great respect for Gu Shixiong. It could be said that Gu Shixiong was the person the Great Emperor trusted most.

Now that this person had suddenly arrived, it truly made Qin Yining unable to avoid overthinking.

“Bingtang, go to the front hall first and carefully attend to Elder Lord Gu. I’ll come immediately after changing clothes.”

“Yes.” Bingtang nodded and quickly left.

Qin Yining changed into different attire. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Ji Yun rushing in from outside, gasping for breath, startling both Qin Yining and Xian Yun and Qiu Lu, who were attending to her hair.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Yining turned around from where she sat at her dressing table to look at her.

Ji Yun caught her breath twice, then lowered her voice and spoke extremely quickly: “Miss, this servant just returned from outside. People from the palace came and invited Madam Cao and all the silver-masked secret agents into the palace. Additionally, there’s a rumor circulating in the capital.”

Qin Yining looked at Ji Yun in shock.

Ji Yun continued, “Many people outside are saying that the Great Yan Great Emperor’s treasure has been found. But the treasure is empty inside!”

“What?” Upon hearing this, Qin Yining momentarily didn’t know what to say.

The Great Emperor had imposed heavy taxes and levies. Before Great Yan reached its desperate end and he fled, he had amassed enormous wealth with great difficulty. Everyone understood that this sum of money the Great Emperor had accumulated was definitely intended for his future comeback.

How could such a selfish person possibly leave himself an empty treasure vault?

Ji Yun said, “It’s true. This news has spread everywhere now, saying that the people the Emperor arranged to go to Great Yan’s former capital found an empty treasure vault.”

Qin Yining nodded.

She now understood why Li Qitian had suddenly detained Yuchi Yan, Li Yanyan, and Gu Chang in the palace.

Li Qitian was truly cunning and calculating!

First, he wanted to force Yuchi Yan to reveal the true location of the treasure.

Second, he wanted to use Yuchi Yan as a hostage. Even if Yuchi Yan didn’t know the treasure’s location, he could prevent those in the know from acting rashly, since Great Yan’s treasure was meant to be left for the Yan Dynasty’s royal bloodline.

Third, and most importantly, with Yuchi Yan captured, those who cared about him would naturally make moves. Li Qitian only needed to carefully observe who showed unusual behavior to determine who was connected to the treasure’s whereabouts!

Therefore, the sudden arrival of Gu Shixiong would certainly be seen by Li Qitian as a representative of “when things are abnormal, there must be demons”!

Qin Yining suddenly felt the situation was quite thorny.

As an old minister, this Elder Lord Gu was definitely not a foolish person. At this critical juncture, he had come to the Qin family and specifically sought to meet with her – was this unintentional or deliberate?

Regardless of what he might say, in the Emperor’s eyes, this matter would be suspicious.

Qin Yining strongly suspected that Elder Lord Gu’s behavior was intended to drag the Qin family, who had been flourishing in Great Zhou, into troubled waters!

“Miss, what should we do now?”

Seeing Qin Yining’s serious expression, the maids all became somewhat nervous. However, they had all experienced great storms with Qin Yining, so although nervous, they felt no fear in their hearts.

Qin Yining smiled reassuringly at them, saying, “It’s nothing serious. I have my own judgment. Xian Yun and Qiu Lu, you two stay in the room. Ji Yun, accompany me to meet Elder Lord Gu.”

“Yes, Miss.” The maids responded in unison.

Ji Yun then followed Qin Yining to the front hall of the main courtyard.

Gu Shixiong was over seventy years old, with completely white hair and beard, a lean figure, wearing a dark blue straight robe of plain satin. He looked exactly like an old gentleman who taught and educated people.

After Qin Yining quickly assessed him, she respectfully performed a greeting: “Elder Lord Gu, I’ve kept you waiting. This young woman has truly been improper. Please forgive me, Elder Lord Gu.”

Gu Shixiong smiled slightly, stood up and cupped his hands in return: “Miss Qin need not be so formal. It is this old man who has presumptuously disturbed you.”

Qin Yining hadn’t expected him to be so courteous, so she immediately formed some thoughts.

“Elder Lord Gu, please sit.”

“Please.”

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Qin Yining insisted on sitting in the lower seat, and moreover sat sideways occupying only half the seat, expressing her courtesy to perfection, making Gu Shixiong feel quite pleased in his heart.

“I wonder what instruction Elder Lord Gu has for visiting?”

“I dare not claim to instruct. This old man’s disturbance today is to tell Miss Qin some good news.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yining only smiled calmly and said, “I wonder what good news the Elder Lord refers to?”

Gu Shixiong stroked his snow-white beard, smiling extremely kindly.

“Miss Qin should have already heard about it. Now it has spread throughout the capital – the people the Emperor sent to our Great Yan to search for the treasure have brought back news that the treasure has been found, but it’s empty inside.”

Qin Yining smiled and said, “I have heard about it.”

“Then what are Miss Qin’s thoughts on this matter?” Gu Shixiong asked.

Qin Yining looked at Gu Shixiong’s aged but sharp eyes and smiled charmingly: “I have no particular thoughts. I’m merely a sheltered woman who spends her days doing needlework awaiting marriage. How would I care about such external matters? These great affairs are men’s business and have nothing to do with a young woman like me.”

Gu Shixiong was obviously taken aback.

Looking at Qin Yining’s exceptionally pure and kind smile, Gu Shixiong seriously examined the woman before him for the first time.

She had a naturally beautiful face and the intelligence that heaven had favored her with.

Speaking with her, Gu Shixiong actually felt like he was dealing with an old fox who had been immersed in court politics for decades, rather than a sixteen-year-old young lady awaiting marriage in her boudoir.

Truly worthy of being the daughter of “Wise Pan An” – she really had her father’s style!

Gu Shixiong stroked his beard and laughed: “Miss Qin need not speak so circuitously with this old man. I know you are a clever child. Even back in Great Yan, I was already aware of your intelligence. Coming to visit today, I come with sincerity, so naturally I hope Miss Qin will treat me sincerely as well.”

Without waiting for Qin Yining to answer, Gu Shixiong continued: “The treasure the Emperor found is indeed empty, but the external rumors are not entirely factual. Some details are unknown to outsiders – that treasure contained no wealth, only a letter.”

“A letter?”

“Yes, a letter. A letter I wrote to the Great Emperor.” Gu Shixiong’s gaze became distant, and after a long while he said: “I was entrusted by the Great Emperor to build the underground palace and transport and hide the treasure. The Great Emperor had long harbored thoughts of fleeing and establishing himself elsewhere, which is why he passed the throne to Prince Yan.

“However, in my heart, I extremely disapproved of the Great Emperor’s actions. Therefore, at that time, I transported the treasure to a secret location, and in the treasure vault whose location the Great Emperor knew, I only left him a letter, telling him that he truly had no qualifications and didn’t deserve to possess such enormous wealth. This wealth was to be left for the new emperor to revitalize the Great Yan Dynasty.

“It’s just that I was too naive in my thinking. After the new emperor ascended the throne, Great Yan was destroyed, and that real treasure became a secret I never had the chance to reveal.”

After quietly listening to Gu Shixiong finish speaking, Qin Yining smiled and said: “I understand what Elder Lord Gu has said. But why are you telling me these things?”

“Miss Qin, I’ve come to make a deal with you.”

“A deal?”

“Yes. Now that Prince Yan has been invited into the palace by the Emperor, his life and death are uncertain. I can tell you the true location of the treasure. I only ask that you not give this enormous sum to Li Qitian, and that you safely rescue Prince Yan and his family of three. As long as you can accomplish these things, the treasure will belong to you alone.”

While speaking directly, Gu Shixiong carefully observed Qin Yining’s expression, wanting to see telltale signs from her face.

However, Qin Yining appeared far too composed. Even such an enormous sum of wealth hadn’t made her brow move in the slightest.

“Elder Lord Gu’s kind intention is appreciated by this young woman. However, I am merely a weak woman who only needs to find a husband’s family. As for treasures and such, I have no interest in them, and I’m even less willing to participate in complex court struggles. Please understand, Elder Lord Gu.”

Qin Yining’s words caused Gu Shixiong’s expression to change dramatically.

Since ancient times, wealth has moved people’s hearts. He had come with full confidence, not believing there could be anyone in this world unmoved by money.

Gu Shixiong’s tone became somewhat urgent: “Miss Qin, don’t refuse this old man so quickly. According to what I know, you will soon marry Prince Zhongshun. Prince Zhongshun’s achievements overshadow his master, and Li Qitian has always been wary of him. Great chaos in the future is almost inevitable. If you truly encounter a day when birds are gone and bows are put away, wouldn’t having this money give you several more advantages?”

Gu Shixiong had spoken quite subtly.

That treasure was an enormous sum – hadn’t they seen how desperately the Great Zhou Emperor wanted to find it?

Any person who possessed this treasure could have inexhaustible wealth for this lifetime, and perhaps could provide for children and grandchildren for generations.

Qin Yining was a woman, a woman about to marry Pang Xiao who might encounter danger. Before coming, Gu Shixiong had imagined Qin Yining’s possible reactions, but he never expected that when faced with enormous wealth, Qin Yining would remain completely unmoved.

Gu Shixiong had struggled in officialdom for many years, and his ability to read expressions had reached perfection. How could he not see that Qin Yining’s lack of wavering wasn’t pretense, but genuine?

Could there really be people in this world who didn’t love money?

“Miss Qin, we are both Great Yan people. Since I have already come to your door today, I come with sincerity, so I won’t speak falsely before you.

“This treasure – I absolutely will not give it to Great Zhou people.

“Previously, when the Great Emperor was muddled and incompetent, I saw it all and knew he didn’t deserve to possess this treasure.

“I cannot help Prince Yan much, nor can I give the treasure to him. Moreover, Prince Yan is not a particularly politically sensitive figure – perhaps he will remain mediocre his entire life.

“However, no matter what, I cannot watch Prince Yan come to harm.

“I know Miss Qin’s capabilities. Please, you must save Prince Yan. Consider this treasure merely as payment for your thanks. This brings you no harm, does it not?”