I'll Block It

Upon hearing this conclusion, Luo Zhao's breath hitched for a fleeting moment, and deep within her phoenix eyes, something shattered and rapidly reformed.

Immediately after, the aura around her stabilized once more, becoming even more profound and restrained, like a bottomless frigid pool that swallowed up all her emotions.

There was no shocked questioning, no undignified refutation, only a cruel calmness.

Reason.

Gu Chengyin continued, This is the complexity and necessity of the emperor's statecraft.

Your Highness, our advantage is a bit too great.

Gu Chengyin's gaze seemed to pierce through the lamplight, seeing into something much deeper.

The stability of the court and the balance of power are far more important than merely eliminating one or two corrupt officials.

Grand Secretary Xiao can fall, and must fall, but the court and the public cannot suffer severe upheaval because of it. There cannot be a power vacuum or an imbalance.

To maintain this delicate balance, one faction cannot be completely and swiftly crushed to the point of being utterly defenseless.

What His Majesty needs is a controlled purge. Within the boundaries he sets, he allows the vested interest groups to mount a certain degree of limited counterattack and struggle.

This way, he can achieve the goal of removing some cancers and warning the masses, while preventing the situation from spiraling out of control, stopping other factions from seizing the opportunity to grow, and avoiding a broader chain reaction.

Gu Chengyin's tone became more specific. Rather than the current situation, where I am running around outside leading the noble families by the nose and drawing their attention.

While Your Highness efficiently compiles evidence in the Crown Prince's Palace, quietly growing in strength.

If we continue like this, once the ten-day deadline arrives, I'm afraid Xiao Song won't be the only one to fall.

The entire Xiao clan would be uprooted.

Gu Chengyin's voice carried a tone of having seen through the secrets of heaven. His Majesty will not allow this to happen.

Grand Secretary Xiao can fall, but the Xiao clan cannot fall just yet.

The court requires balance, not a monopoly by one family, nor a complete purge.

Therefore.

Gu Chengyin finally concluded, The news His Majesty leaked was measured with exquisite precision.

He only let the other side know that there is a red sandalwood box in the Hall of Letters and Logic containing something detrimental to Xiao Song.

Yet he concealed the existence of Gu Xiaoli. By doing so, the enemy's target is restricted solely to the red sandalwood box.

This provides them an opportunity to counterattack, making them feel pressured to proactively do something.

It also keeps the situation within an acceptable range; at the very least, the chain of evidence won't truly be destroyed.

After listening to Gu Chengyin's meticulous analysis, Luo Zhao fell silent.

She did not express an opinion, but merely scrutinized every word he said.

At the same time, she waited. She waited for Gu Chengyin, this man who could always exceed her expectations, to see what judgment and decision he would make in such a passive situation.

Gu Chengyin did not make her wait too long.

After a brief moment of pondering, he offered his response.

The targets of His Majesty's leaked news are none other than two families: either Xiao or Cui.

Therefore, I believe the best approach right now is to respond to all changes by remaining unchanged.

Shangguan Yuan has already been grounded at home, which means he is temporarily protected. No matter how great the storm outside, as long as he doesn't step out, it won't reach him.

As for the Crown Prince's Palace, especially the Hall of Letters and Logic, we just need to continue doing our own thing, turning a deaf ear to the matters outside and focusing solely on building the chain of evidence.

With Your Highness personally holding the fort, as long as we advance steadily, the initiative will remain in our hands.

As for the storms outside, whether they be open attacks or covert arrows.

I will block them.

Only bring down Xiao Song?

That was not what Gu Chengyin wanted. From beginning to end, he had only one goal.

To uproot the Xiao clan entirely.

As for the court stability that Emperor Luo desired, that was a matter for the future Grand Secretariat; what did it have to do with him, Gu Chengyin?

If the Xiao clan didn't fall, how could Luo Zhao's power expand?

If Luo Zhao's power couldn't expand, how could his own strength grow?

Cutting off a person's path to wealth was like killing their parents; obstructing a person's future was like severing their limbs.

Emperor Luo actually wanted to sever Gu Chengyin's limbs.

This was absolutely intolerable!

Luo Zhao sat upright in the seat of honor, her dark robes making her face appear even more aloof and jade-like.

On the surface, she was perfectly calm, as if she had merely heard an ordinary report.

However, deep within those bottomless phoenix eyes, a stormy sea surged that others could hardly perceive.

Gu Chengyin's clear and resolute words, though simple, carried an immense sense of responsibility.

Like a stone thrown into a deep pool, they stirred up layers of complex ripples in the tranquil lake of her heart.

It wasn't that she didn't believe in Gu Chengyin's abilities; on the contrary, it was precisely because she had witnessed and even personally experienced them.

She knew all the more clearly that these were not empty boasts, but words based on a precise judgment of the situation and absolute self-confidence.

But...

This feeling of someone proactively standing in front of her to shield her from the wind and rain was truly too alien to her.

Luo Zhao had known since childhood that there was no familial affection in the imperial family.

The only person she could ever rely on was herself.

Her empress mother had died early, her imperial father's thoughts were deep and unfathomable, and the courtiers all harbored their own ulterior motives.

Along the way, from the Eldest Princess to being established as the Crown Prince, every step had been like walking on thin ice.

Every acquisition and consolidation of power was accompanied by calculation, compromise, and even blood.

She had long been accustomed to facing everything alone, accustomed to burying all her vulnerability, hesitation, and even fear deep down, showing only an impeccable calmness.

When had anyone ever stood out so explicitly and proactively to tell her: The storms, I will block them.

This feeling was like a faint yet stubborn ray of light, attempting to pierce through the perennially frozen barriers of her heart.

It brought a trace of warmth she had almost forgotten, or rather, an illusion of being protected.

However, this faint ray of light.

Was tightly entangled with the deep-rooted hatred she held for Gu Chengyin in the depths of her heart.

As well as the humiliation of being manipulated.

It was this man who had controlled her with unpredictable and secretive methods, forcing her to watch herself obey his every command and even perform all sorts of unbearable actions.

It was him who made her endure unspeakable torment and anger, making her constantly yearn to break free from her bonds and return the humiliation he inflicted upon her a hundredfold!

But ironically, it was also this man who created miracles in desperate situations, bringing her safely back to the Divine Capital.

Arguing strongly on her behalf before the impeachment of her mortal enemies, saving her from the fire and water.

Running around when the audit hit a dead end, even bringing in crucial assistance.

Now, precisely when her imperial father had laid out a maze of schemes, he saw through everything.

And used himself as bait to draw the fire, buying them time...

Hatred and admiration.

Murderous intent and reliance.

Humiliation and...

Like ice and fire intertwining and colliding within her heart.

It almost tore apart her heart, which had long been tempered to be as hard as iron.