Everyone present had heard Han Ziqing’s words clearly!

And the Gu family head’s words, everyone had heard just as clearly, every single one!

Bai Xiongqi, taking advantage of the fact that the Gu Shi supposedly had no heir bearing the Gu surname, had tried to force Jun Beiyue into changing his surname—only to end up, indirectly, forcing Gu Suying out into the open instead.

With every eye in the hall fixed on her, how could Gu Suying possibly refuse to step forward?

She understood perfectly well—this time was nothing like the last time, when Bai Feiyao had provoked her father. If she failed to step up now, if she pretended not to have heard a thing—

The consequences would be severe indeed.

At the very least, she could forget about continuing to hold any standing within the Gu Shi household.

Her clenched fists dug her nails deep into her palms, and only through sheer force of will did she manage to steady her trembling body, lowering her head and stepping forward, one step at a time.

Bai Xiongqi had never anticipated Han Ziqing would pull a move like this—for a moment, he genuinely didn’t know how to respond! Only now did he truly begin to see Han Ziqing as someone to be wary of.

If he did something to Gu Suying now, in front of everyone, there was no guarantee she’d continue cooperating with the Bai family afterward!

Jiang Chen was a useless fool, and Gu Meiting was nothing but a shrew with a temper and no substance—neither of them could carry the weight of the Gu family’s future.

Only Gu Suying was truly someone worth using.

Against a Gu Shi backed by someone as formidable as Jun Beiyue, the only viable strategy was to control them through Gu Meiting—not destroy them outright!

Gu Meiting was the key to everything.

Gu Meiting gritted her teeth. Whatever secrets Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing had actually uncovered about her, she was determined not to let her father down this time—at the very least, whatever happened, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing could never sever the bond of blood between her and her father.

She steeled herself, taking a silent deep breath, suppressing her fear and panic, lifting her chin with practiced composure and demanding, “Family Head Bai, did you hear my father clearly? A defeated foe has no right to address him—if you have something to say, say it to me!”

A flash of anger crossed the eyes of the head of the Bai family, but he couldn’t help but admire Gu Suying’s reaction all the same.

He hadn’t misjudged her, then—this girl was clearly capable of great things!

So what if Han Ziqing had pushed her forward? This time, he’d let Gu Jun off the hook.

He wanted to see, in the end, who would be the one laughing last.

“Little girl, your father has the nerve to send a junior out to speak for him, but this old man has no interest in bullying someone your age!” the head of the Bai family said with a cold snort, dismissing Gu Suying with a single line, and settled himself back down into his seat with easy composure.

“Family Head Bai, flaunting your rhetorical skill hardly makes you a hero. If you think a junior isn’t worthy of your attention, then by all means, send out your own precious daughter instead! Whatever grievances the Bai family has, say them plainly!” Gu Suying shot back coldly, still keeping up the act admirably.

The head of the Bai family was about to respond when the Qin Elder, finally unable to hold back, called out loudly, “Enough, enough! Can’t we all just get along?”

The head of the Bai family had already sat back down—if no one intervened now, things might spiral out of control again.

Tonight’s gathering had barely even begun, and dawn was already approaching—where would Qinse Valley’s reputation be left, at this rate?

In truth, the head of the Bai family and Gu Suying had merely been putting on a show, both secretly hoping someone would step in to mediate. With the Qin Elder’s intervention, the head of the Bai family gave a few light coughs and let the matter drop, while Gu Suying, sensibly, cast a questioning glance toward Gu Jun.

Gu Jun thought it over briefly, then signaled for her to step back.

If this were allowed to escalate further, pushing the Bai family too far, Beiyue’s true identity would inevitably come to light.

Bai Feiyao’s exposure had already dealt the Bai family a devastating blow—he was more than satisfied with that outcome already.

What comforted him most was that Suying, in the end, hadn’t let him down—she’d genuinely had the courage to step forward.

Ziqing and Beiyue exchanged a glance, both giving nothing away. They certainly weren’t foolish enough to handle the Gu family’s internal affairs out here in public, where it could be used against them later.

Gu Suying and Jiang Chen’s debt could wait—once they were back at the Gu residence, there would be plenty of time to settle it properly.

Soon, the gathering returned to normal order. But with that cautionary example fresh in everyone’s minds, no one dared volunteer for another drinking game.

Polite small talk followed, along with the appreciation of zither music, as many of Qinse Valley’s finest disciples took turns performing. But after having heard Xuanyuan Lige and Han Ziqing play, everyone else’s performances felt rather flat by comparison.

The banquet continued for a while longer before finally dispersing as the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

Under normal circumstances, once such a gathering ended, everyone would depart the following morning. Families of any real standing from the Longyuan mainland would typically be invited by families on Liuxian Isle to stay a few extra days on the island.

And those who hadn’t received such invitations would often pay visits of their own accord to families they admired, to exchange pointers in martial arts.

In truth, the real socializing always happened after the gathering itself!

But because of the sponsorship from the auction, Qinse Valley was, for the first time in centuries, inviting everyone to tour the Sea Valley.

This, too, was something many had been eagerly anticipating!

After the gathering dispersed, the Qin Elder personally arranged for the Gu family to be housed in a separate wing. The Se Elder didn’t accompany them, instead heading with Xuanyuan Lige toward the main estate of Qinse Valley.

Along the way, the Se Elder’s expression was grave, and Xuanyuan Lige’s was even more solemn still.

Upon reaching the main hall, they didn’t stop there, continuing instead toward a hidden chamber.

The moment they entered the secret room, the Se Elder spoke directly. “Are you certain Madam Ci is dead?”

“Certain. She married into the Han family of Da Zhou’s capital and bore a daughter—Han Ziqing,” Xuanyuan Lige answered honestly. When he’d first discovered that Ziqing’s mother was none other than Mu Ci, once renowned throughout Da Zhou’s music circles, his suspicions had first been raised.

And upon seeing Ziqing’s true face, comparing it against Qinse Valley’s own Madam Ci, he had confirmed it at once—Mu Ci of Da Zhou’s imperial capital was indeed the very same Madam Ci of Qinse Valley.

The men of his own Xuanyuan clan were all afflicted with a peculiar illness from birth, rarely surviving past their coming-of-age ceremony. He himself had been fortunate enough to encounter Qinse Valley’s miraculous physician, Jue Mingzi, and had been taken on as his reclusive disciple, receiving treatment that had allowed him to live on to this day.

It was Jue Mingzi who had predicted he wouldn’t live past thirty—and it was Jue Mingzi, too, who had given him both the Bloodzheng and the Mozheng.

But for all his medical brilliance, Jue Mingzi had no ear for music whatsoever!

Mu Ci had been a woman Jue Mingzi rescued from the waters near Liuxian Isle. Even in death, Jue Mingzi had never known her true origins.

The Bloodzheng and the Mozheng had both come with her—she possessed extraordinary musical talent, and it was for this reason that she’d earned the honorific “Madam” within Qinse Valley.

In time, she and Jue Mingzi fell in love. But sadly, no matter how many zithers or scores she gifted him, no matter how often she asked him about music, Jue Mingzi remained utterly ignorant of it, consumed day after day by his medical pursuits, neglecting Madam Ci entirely. In the end, their differing passions drove them apart, and Mu Ci left the Bloodzheng and Mozheng behind, departing alone.

Who could have imagined she would go on to marry none other than Da Zhou’s Prime Minister Han?

If the two Qin-Se Elders hadn’t spoken of it, Xuanyuan Lige would never have known any of this. The zither he owned had been a gift from his master; his skill had come from the scores his master had passed down to him—and yet, he had never once heard his master actually play a single piece. It turned out his master simply didn’t know how!

“When Madam Ci gave up her zithers, she said these two instruments never truly belonged to her either—they belonged to whoever could master them! Lige, it seems you really have found the right person,” the Se Elder said with feeling.

A complicated flicker crossed Xuanyuan Lige’s eyes. He asked flatly, “Elder Se, did Madam Ci happen to leave behind any keepsakes?”