SWDnovel Chapter 1128 - 964: Forcing It Is Useless
Chapter 1128 - 964: Forcing It Is Useless
Since ancient times, emperors rarely lived long lives. Daily scheming and being troubled by countless affairs are definitely the culprits affecting their longevity. Adding the harem’s three thousand beauties, these are all death sentences!The dark sky over the Capital began to snow heavily; it was already deep winter. The winter wind howled throughout the night, and every tree was adorned with silver blossoms.
On this day, just like usual, Gu Chengyu rose early, and Ming Mo had already entered the room.
"Sir, with the snow these past two days, the ship has been delayed four days. The master should arrive in the Capital today."
Ming Mo had sent people to the dock early on. With such heavy snow, the river had begun to freeze. The ship only managed to reach the Capital, which was considered fortunate, as the ice on the river wasn’t thick.
Gu Chengyu opened the window, letting in a gust of cold wind which instantly freshened the air. These past two days, the snow fell intermittently, and the accumulation on the ground was deep enough to cover the tops of shoes.
"Just have someone wait at the dock. With the ship delayed for so long, it should definitely arrive today. If there are too many people, it won’t be intimate; arrange for them to stay elsewhere, as there might not be enough room at the residence."
Though Gu Chengyu has more than one courtyard in the Capital, the other one is not near his residence, which is quite inconvenient.
So, he rented a two-entry courtyard not far from his residence to arrange for those unpleasant to his eyes.
As for any rumors that might spread, Gu Chengyu was unconcerned.
Even if officials spoke against him in front of the Emperor or Crown Prince, so what? The Emperor and the Crown Prince still have use for him and wouldn’t burn bridges after crossing, at least not for now.
As the night slowly receded, Gu Chengyu walked through the swirling snow to the Dali Temple.
As soon as he entered the office, Yun Zemin greeted him.
"Sir! Just now, Mr. Li Zhongxin came by and brought a stack of files. He said Lord Kuang isn’t at the Dali Temple today; he’s out on business. For these days, you’d better go through the old files at the Dali Temple and pick out any suspicious cases."
Yun Zemin pointed to a stack on the desk, and Gu Chengyu looked towards it. The desk was piled high with files, stacked nearly to the top.
Gu Chengyu was taken aback. With so many files, how long would it take to go through them all? What was Kuang Zhao Ying’s intention? Could it be he didn’t want him involved in the current cases at the Dali Temple?
He removed the crane robe and hung it on a rack. Inside, a brazier was already burning, making it much warmer than outside.
"Sir, with so many files, who knows how long it’ll take..." Yun Zemin stopped mid-sentence, even if he wanted to stand up for his superior, he wasn’t qualified.
"No matter! I’ll take my time to read through them." Gu Chengyu smiled lightly and sat down at the desk.
Even if Kuang Zhao Ying held a grudge and wanted to sideline him, would the Crown Prince and Emperor allow it? The matter of the Young Master had yet to be resolved. Even if the Crown Prince appointed Kuang Zhao Ying to handle it, he needed Gu Chengyu’s assistance.
Without him, Kuang Zhao Ying likely wouldn’t get anything done, for he held the key individuals in his grasp.
"Prince! Our people encountered Prince Gong’s subordinates in Jiangnan. It seems their purpose there is similar to ours." A burly man with thick eyebrows and big eyes spoke to the man standing by the window.
Prince Jing looked at the desolate courtyard, finding a certain bleak beauty in its snowy adornment.
In Fengqing Prefecture, which was near the border, winter had set in early, and snow had been falling for several days. Two servants came into the courtyard, holding brooms, intending to clear the snow.
"Would my brother give up such a great opportunity? But Jingyuan Prefecture is rather prosperous; why would he need so much silver?"
Prince Jing’s gentle voice echoed, carrying a hint of melancholy, quietly dissipating in the endless snowfall.
Inside, two braziers burned, with a curtain blocking the harsh cold outside, making the interior as warm as spring.
"Prince Gong’s intentions, don’t you already know them, my lord? Could he be content to stay cooped up in his fiefdom all his life?"
Prince Gong, known for his ambition, had become so quiet after going to his fiefdom, which was unlike him.
"Even if he’s unwilling, what can be done? What’s yours won’t escape you. What’s not yours is useless even if you force it." Prince Jing sighed, seemingly speaking from the heart.
Prince Jing’s desolation made the man furrow his brows. Just as he was about to speak, Prince Jing closed the window and walked to the desk.
"How’s the matter I asked you to investigate? Any leads?" Prince Jing, shedding his previous desolation, regained his calm and composure.
"The Map Master and Bu Ke have arrived in the Capital. Our people have been watching them and found them frequently meeting with a young man, who appears to have some connection to Mr. Gu."
"Oh? And who is it?" Prince Jing’s interest was piqued, a playful smile on his face.
"He’s a nephew from Mr. Gu’s family, named Gu Wanqian."
Yan Hui thought how coincidental events were in this world, unexpectedly linking back to Gu Chengyu.
In Jiangnan, due to Gu Chengyu, they gained no advantage. The Jiang Family gathered a considerable amount of grain only to be forced to sell at a loss, suffering a financial hit.
Although neither Prince Gong nor Xia Qing gained any advantage, it was a wasted opportunity to make money. In Fengqing Prefecture, this desolate place, living off the meager taxes amounted to little.
"Gu Wanqian?" Prince Jing looked puzzled, having no impression of this person.
"He manages household affairs for Mr. Gu. After returning from Jingyuan Prefecture, the Map Master and Bu Ke sought him out."
"Are you saying this Gu Wanqian is the Young Master they refer to? Wasn’t it said the Young Master has royal blood? How could he have ended up in a farmer’s family in Dayan? Check the events of those years, this person can be of use."
In recent years, Prince Jing had utilized various strategies to establish himself in Fengqing Prefecture. However, the profitable businesses were controlled by other powers, requiring effort and time to seize them.
His father’s health declined daily, leaving no time to wait. Last time, a money-making opportunity was ruined by Gu Chengyu, leaving him worried about silver recently.
Gu Chengyu was adept at making money, but unfortunately, he had yet to be convinced to work for him.
If he could catch the Young Master, many things could be plotted. The people behind them had significant backing, having the Young Master would force them into an alliance.
"Yes! When these people arrived at Yingnan Mansion, I suspected the Young Master went missing there. If Gu Wanqian is indeed the Young Master, should we capture him immediately? Otherwise, if the Map Master takes him back to Da Xing, it’ll be complicated to capture him later."
Hearing this, Prince Jing nodded and then said, "Once it’s confirmed he’s the Young Master, spare no effort to capture him. However, Gu Chengyu shouldn’t know about this yet, right? Make sure not to alert him, else things will become difficult if he intervenes."