Chapter 249: Chapter 85 Return Gift
"Ah~ You canât say that. If Prefect Jiang hadnât written the memorial, how would the Emperor know about this?" Sun Xian was calm by nature. Although Gu Chengyu indeed suffered a loss, who could he blame other than the fact that he is merely a child student? Now that He Shunian said this, walls have ears, and if it reached Prefect Jiangâs ears, wouldnât that offend the lord?
In fact, Gu Chengyu didnât feel much disappointment, as this is commonplace in officialdom. Even if he enters officialdom in the future and accomplishes real deeds, the one who benefits most will definitely be his superior.
"I am currently just a child student, contributions are of no use to me. Besides, all I write are opinions, which always feel shallow when derived from paper; it still requires Prefect Jiang to execute them!"
Gu Chengyu saw a plate of eggplant stir-fried with minced meat on the table and suddenly thought of the steamed buns left in the space at noon, which he hadnât checked yet. Perhaps those two buns held surprises within them.
In the backyard of the government office, "What did you say? The Holy Decree?"
The medicine bowl in Yu Familyâs hand suddenly fell, and she was still sitting on the bed, spilling the bowl of medicine all over the light-colored embroidered duvet, soaking a large area.
"Madam! Master just received the Holy Decree and is currently welcoming the imperial envoy from the Capital, so heâs afraid he wonât be coming over tonight!" Mrs. Xi whispered to Yu Family, not mentioning a word about what Yu Family wanted to know, as she didnât want to discuss that matter anymore. Yu Family had only just begun to recover in these past couple of days.
"Iâm not asking about the Holy Decree, Iâm asking if Chen Xuewen has taken action?" Yu Family asked Mrs. Xi with hope, but she knew Chen Xuewen definitely hadnât acted. With the imperial envoy here, how dare Chen Xuewen do such a thing?
Yu Family closed her eyes, wondering when the imperial envoy would leave and whether there was time for a second attempt.
Mrs. Xi clenched her handkerchief tightly while looking at Yu Familyâs scarred face, pondering whether to speak. Madam now was holding on by a thread, and if she mentioned that Gu Chengyu also received the decree, she feared Madam would choose to end it all!
Itâs not that she is terminally ill, but looking at Yu Familyâs current state was frightening even to those around her, not to mention the master. With such a horrifying face and once flawless body now covered in scars, even the closest maid dared not approach her.
Yu Family had become a ghostly figure, losing her will to live. The more she thought about it, the more unwilling she became. "You go and tell Chen Xuewen to act in the second round, regardless of any imperial envoy. If he still wishes to rise by relying on my father, he must do as I say!"
"Madam, this matter is unbeknownst to the old master. If Mr. Chen visited and asked the old master, he would certainly be furious, and not even the old madam would be spared!"
Mrs. Xi was frightened by Yu Familyâs stubbornness; if the old master found out, she wouldnât be able to escape punishment. She couldnât help but regret her original decision. Back then, she pleaded with the old madam of the Yu Mansion, who pitied her daughter and considered that ruining a mere farmerâs boy would at least quell Yu Familyâs anger.
Thus, Yu Mu had someone imitate Yu Zhengâs handwriting, pretending to deliver soup, and secretly took his private seal from his study. Yu Zheng, being so cautious, wouldnât have done such a thing for his daughterâs desires if he were aware, hence Yu Mu never mentioned it.
"What do I care about so much now? Living is worse than dying, and how can I be at peace without destroying their family?" Yu Family appeared deranged, her distorted face terrifying Mrs. Xi into retreating a step.
Mrs. Xi stared at Yu Familyâs now hideous face, closed her eyes, and told her about Gu Chengyu receiving the Holy Decree. Yu Family had been irritable recently, often scolding maids, so Mrs. Xi didnât dare hide it from her. If the madam knew she was kept in the dark, Mrs. Xi would suffer as well!
"What? You say that bitch was even praised by the Emperor? That damn Emperor..." Yu Family had already lost her mind; she sprang from the bed, gripping Mrs. Xiâs arm fiercely and shouting hysterically.
Mrs. Xi saw that Yu Family had lost her mind and dared to curse even the Emperor, quickly covering her mouth. She must be mad to curse the Holy Emperor!
"Ming Mo, go to Manager Niu and bring back the account book!" Once everyone left the room, Gu Chengyu instructed Ming Mo to go to Manager Niu.
A couple of months ago, Yu Tuanzi sent a message by pigeon, informing Gu Chengyu that ever since the restaurant in the Prefecture opened, business had been thriving, partly due to their dishes being fresh and delicious, and partly due to Lord Deputy Governor. Although Lord Deputy Governorâs rank was lower than Prefect Jiangâs, no one dared not to grant him face. As for the local thugs, who would dare to oppose the government?
The profits from these two months had made Gu Chengyu quite wealthy.
After sending Ming Yan back to his room, Gu Chengyu took out the steamed buns from the space. Breaking them open, he indeed found a note inside. He spread it out, discovering the note to be small but densely packed with tiny, thin writing, clearly written with a rat-hair brush.
A special type of brush made from a ratâs whiskers writes very small characters. If it werenât for Gu Chengyuâs keen eyesight, he might not have been able to make out the content above.
The note contained the "Four Books Dicanth," which is a condensed version of the essence from the "Four Books." Gu Chengyu shook his head with a smile, realizing some effort had been put into it. It didnât matter whether the method was clumsy, as long as it was useful. If it was found in his possession, even trying to argue would be futile. As a mere examinee without any foundation, wasnât he at the mercy of others?
Gu Chengyu took out a lighter and burned the note, watching it turn to ash. It seemed Yu Family needed another lesson; how could she find time to frame him? He thought a womanâs most cherished attribute was her appearance, yet Yu Familyâs psychological resilience seemed strong.
Then there was Chen Xuewen, who followed Yu Zhengâs orders. The Holy Emperor personally commanded him to work for Prefect Jiang, and Gu Chengyu believed Chen Xuewen had better insight than that. As for Yu Zheng, he would have to wait until reaching the Capital to address it.
Gu Chengyu thought for a moment and called out to Ming Yan, who lived across the hall. Calling out from his room, Ming Yan could hear him.
"Young Master! Is there something you require?" Ming Yan, hearing the Young Master calling, quickly came out of his room.
"Thereâs something I need you to take care of!" Gu Chengyu brought Ming Yan into the room and told him his plan.
"Young Master! It shouldnât be difficult to handle, but are you worried it might be traced back to you?" Ming Yan was a bit concerned. The Young Master was preparing to take the imperial examination, and if it was traced back to him, wouldnât that ruin his bright future?
"Thatâs why you must ensure the person you find is reliable! Go ahead and take care of it!" Gu Chengyu smiled. What was the reason behind Yu Familyâs hatred for his mother? Wasnât it all due to Prefect Jiang? So what if he made Prefect Jiang harbor resentment towards Yu Family?
Yu Family, are you ready to receive his return gift?