Final Instructions

Outside the courtyard of Dean Gu, several important elders of the Gu family were standing. So when Xiao Zetian and Su Li stepped inside, all these people watched them warily.

The Prince Qin's residence was the Gu family's number one enemy. These two must be up to no good—like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year!

Su Li didn’t have time to care about all those suspicious looks. She was worried about Dean Gu’s condition and hurried inside.

The light in the room suddenly dimmed. Su Li’s eyes adjusted before she could make out the elderly figure on the bed.

Skin and bones, barely hanging on—that was Su Li’s first impression of the old man lying on the bed.

She had to look carefully to recognize that the nearly lifeless old man on the bed was once the spirited Dean Gu, the former Grand Chancellor, who always seemed to have endless energy.

Even the last time Su Li met Dean Su at the academy, he hadn’t looked this worn out.

Based on her limited modern medical knowledge, Su Li judged that Dean Gu must have a very serious illness, which is why his condition worsened so quickly.

Looking at the old man on the bed, Su Li felt a sense of unreality. Deep down, she resisted believing this was really Dean Gu.

Su Li was still several steps from the bed. She stood there, unmoving, her gaze fixed on the old man.

The old man lying on the bed suddenly struggled to open his eyes, his cloudy gaze searching in Su Li’s direction. His voice was so weak you had to listen closely to make out the words.

"Is it... Ah Li come to see me...?" Dean Gu's eyes were blurry; he could hardly see people so far away.

He struggled to lift his arm toward Su Li, as if trying to grasp her wrist.

Su Li was stung by his difficult movement; tears welled up in her eyes. She hurried forward to the bedside.

Her belly was too big for her to squat down, so she sat by the bed, reaching out to gently hold Dean Gu’s withered hand. "Dean Gu, it’s me. Ah Li has come to see you."

"Ah... Ah Li... you’re here." Dean Gu’s eyes lit up. He squinted, trying to make out Su Li at the bedside, and for the first time in days, a smile appeared on his parched face. "Ah Li, you finally came... I was afraid I wouldn’t get to see you. But Ah Li always keeps her promises. If she says she’ll come, she will. Our Ah Li is someone who always keeps her word."

Su Li held Dean Gu’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Ah Li, if I don’t see you, I can’t rest in peace..." Dean Gu said, then turned to Gregory Gu Jr.: "Zhe’er, come here."

Gregory Gu Jr.’s eyes were red as he walked over and knelt by the bed.

Dean Gu placed a hand on Gregory Gu Jr.'s head, his voice soft and slow: "Zhe’er, your grandfather won’t make it much longer..."

"Grandfather! You can get through this, you’ll live a long life!" Gregory Gu Jr.’s tears fell as he cried in pain.

"Silly boy, everyone dies someday. I know my time is near. Don’t be sad, listen carefully to me." Dean Gu said slowly and with difficulty: "Zhe’er, after I’m gone, I’ll entrust Phoenix Academy to Ah Li; as for the fate of the Gu family, I’ll leave that in your hands."

Gregory Gu Jr. suddenly looked up, his eyes full of confusion: "Grandfather, why—why aren’t you leaving Phoenix Academy to me? The Gu family has trained so many scholars at the academy, and when they join the court, they’ll serve our family!"