Chapter 628: Master and Disciple Conversation
The dark clouds rolled in, blocking out the sun.
Gu Xinran unfolded a map, put pen to paper everywhere, and practiced surveying and designing the terrain.
Suddenly, she heard a faint sound coming from the south. She smiled triumphantly, looked away, and her eyes fell accurately on the person who came.
"Master, are you here?"
"Haha, it really is Master."
"Now, you can't say that anymore. I am deaf and can't hear anything."
Zhou Zixi walked into her room, took off her veil and put it aside.
"Okay, Miss Gu, you have good hearing and good eyes."
Gu Xinran greeted him joyfully and helped the master to take his seat.
"Master, what are you doing here?"
"Could it be that you are worried about your disciple's actions?"
"I have already relayed the strategy you taught me to my uncle, and, in accordance with Master's instructions, I have made some modifications based on the situation."
"Master has a brilliant plan. With my help, my uncle's success is just around the corner."
Zhou Zixi comforted his disciple and sat beside him.
"I will be assured if you do what you want."
Gu Xinran looked obedient as he raised his eyes and stared.
"Don't worry, why did you come all the way here?"
"It was not easy for Master to leave the Tongshitai. What he thought and did must be important."
"Oh—I see."
"Master must be missing his disciple and can't help himself. After all, I am the smartest disciple in the world. Master feels honored and happy all day long, so it is natural that he can't help himself."
Zhou Zixi's eyes were kind and gentle, but his tone of voice was unforgiving.
"You are good for nothing, but you always talk nonsense."
Gu Xinran's expression changed and he became disappointed and angry.
"Hmph, Master is very strict and rarely praises me. He only says that I am useless."
"I'm so outstanding, can't you praise me more?"
Zhou Zixi gently stroked and smoothed her long hair.
"There's no rush to praise you. We have been together for a long time, and there will be plenty of time in the future."
Gu Xinran pursed his lips in displeasure, but still did not forget to pour a cup of tea to honor his master.
"Master often said that we spend a lot of time together. Indeed, we have met only a few times over the years."
"Where does the time come from?"
Zhou Zixi took the teacup and took a sip. The tea had a fresh aroma and was just the right temperature.
"I am here today to tell you where the time comes from."
Gu Xinran made a puzzled sound.
"Oh?"
Zhou Zixi put down the teacup, his brows furrowed with a hint of solemnity.
"I should have told you about this earlier."
"I may be sorry to tell you now."
"According to my plan, your father and mother are about to pass away."
Gu Xinran was stunned.
"what?!"
"Father, I can foresee that you will die at the hands of my uncle."
"But my mother..."
She was extremely reluctant to leave and was about to cry.
"Master, didn't you say that my mother is your junior sister?"
"How could your plan harm her life?"
"Master, you may not know that my mother has suffered a lot of injustice throughout her life. She did bad things out of necessity."
"In my opinion, my mother did nothing wrong. I beg Master to let her go."
Zhou Zixi comforted him in a soft voice.
"Ran'er, don't worry. My junior sister will be reborn soon after she passes away."
Gu Xinran's sadness turned into a look of confusion.
"Reborn? Reborn?"
Zhou Zixi looked serious.
"It is also."
"She will return to the twenty-second year of Shengping."
Gu Xinran felt a little curious, but also confused.
"The year before I was born?"
Zhou Zixi felt a little regretful.
"Correct."
"By then, almost all of her relatives, family members, and people she cares about will be able to reunite."
"But, you sisters..."
He spoke suddenly, and Gu Xinran followed up.
"I see."
"After being born again, my mother was disheartened and changed her mind. She would never marry my father."
"So, we sisters are no longer together."
Zhou Zixi spoke earnestly.
"It is extremely difficult for me to talk about this matter. I am really sorry that I have not said anything for a long time."
Gu Xinran lowered his gaze, and a hazy look appeared in his eyes.
"Father is devoted to Ning Wanshan and has ignored us mother and daughter. Ever since mother hibernated in Prince Dijin's mansion, my eldest uncle has taken us sisters away and raised us ever since."
"My mother and I rarely see each other, and I can only get a little information about my mother from my uncle."
"I originally thought that I could be reunited with her after I accomplished my mission, but who would have thought..."
She was in tears and felt deeply sad.
"I still have a lot to say to my mother."
"She always blames herself for not taking good care of us. I want to tell her that in my heart, I never blame her at all."
"My mother suffers and my sister is helpless, all because of my incompetence."
Zhou Zixi suggested it from the heart.
"The thirty-second year of Shengping is the year when her Fire Phoenix is reborn."
"She will be very sad for the rest of her life. Why don't you go back to Prince Chen's Mansion and stay with her?"
Gu Xinran slowly stopped crying and responded solemnly.
"Well, I will find a reason now, say goodbye to my uncle, and move back to Prince Chen's Mansion."
Zhou Zixi's palm gently caressed her back.
"Also, I have something to tell you."
Gu Xinran listened attentively.
"Master, please speak."
Zhou Zixi spoke frankly.
"My master, your grandmother, sincerely apologizes to you and your sister on behalf of the Fang family."
When Gu Xinran heard this, he lowered his eyebrows immediately.
"Grandma's words are serious, and my grandson is terrified."
Zhou Zixi continued to retell.
"She said, in this life, I will give you the kingdom, and I hope you will be kind to your subjects and benefit the people."
Gu Xinran was shocked.
"I?"
She frowned and became more frightened.
"My uncle is a great man in the country. He should be the one to succeed the throne."
"I was still young and didn't understand anything."
Seeing that she was on pins and needles, Zhou Zixi teased her appropriately.
"Who just said that he was the smartest person in the world?"
"Your uncle is probably not as good as you."
Gu Xinran blushed and felt a little ashamed.
"My disciple was carried away by his own pride and spoke nonsense. Master, please do not make fun of me."
Zhou Zixi agreed and got back to business.
"As you said, he will succeed to the throne, but when you grow up, he will abdicate to you."
Gu Xinran asked in confusion.
"He plans to abdicate and live out his days in peace?"
Thinking of the good things that his beloved son would do in the future, Zhou Zixi smiled with relief.
"No."
"He will go far away to find his own happiness."
Gu Xinran asked again out of curiosity.
"Uncle, do you also want to be reborn and return to the 22nd year of Shengping?"
Zhou Zixi told the truth in a gentle tone.
"His rebirth, carrying the memories of both worlds, returns to another world and another place. It is not in my time, but a new chapter."
Gu Xinran forgot his worries for a while and was happy.
"Uncle, just be happy."
Concerned about her master's safety, she made a serious promise.
"When the world is stable and the situation has settled, I will go to Tongshitai in person to pick up Master and his group, and we will leave this place of trouble and enjoy our old age in peace."
Zhou Zixi looked at his apprentice and felt very proud.
"it is good."
"When you succeed, I will praise you every day."
Gu Xinran was extremely happy that his wish came true.
"It's a word."
Zhou Zixi pinched her nose, scolding her but still showing affection.
"You are a child who is always greedy and pushes for more. When the time comes, you will complain about me and keep praising me, which is annoying."
Gu Xinran held her master's arm and acted coquettishly.
"Absolutely impossible."
"My disciple, I love Master's praise the most, and I will never get tired of it."