Does He Like Me

Listening to Gu Chengyin's analysis, Luo Zhao's brows furrowed tightly as she fell into deep thought.

She naturally knew that Xiao Song, and indeed the entire Xiao clan, would never simply bare their necks to the executioner's blade as they appeared to do.

Luo Zhao had determination and ironclad evidence, yet she also had her own shortcoming: experience.

She was too young.

Although she held the noble status of Crown Princess and had been steeped in political maneuverings since childhood, with Emperor Luo intentionally allowing her to make independent decisions.

But this was her first time engaging in a head-on clash with a top-tier bureaucrat like Xiao Song, someone who had stood firm through countless political maelstroms.

The opponent's shrewdness from decades of immersion in officialdom, his precise grasp of human nature, his extreme exploitation of loopholes in the rules, and the energy of the counterattack he might unleash in a desperate situation were all difficult to estimate.

That was a level of mastery that required time to accumulate; it could not be compensated for merely by outstanding talent or firm determination.

Fortunately, she had Gu Chengyin.

This thought surfaced naturally from the bottom of Luo Zhao's heart.

Her nature was one of deep-seated pride and a desire for control—this was the armor she had naturally formed as a member of the imperial family, amidst countless scrutinizing gazes and struggles for power.

Luo Zhao was accustomed to issuing orders, to bringing everything into her own plans; she did not trust easily, and found it even harder to tolerate losing control.

However, during one of the few times Emperor Luo had personally instructed her in her youth, he had said something she remembered to this day, something that could even be called the awakening of her imperial mindset:

"Zhao'er, as a ruler, the most important thing is never how strong your own abilities are. The affairs of the world are as vast and complex as a sea of stars; an individual's power will ultimately reach its limit."

"What truly determines how far you can go is whether you know how to use people."

"The wisdom to judge people, the courage to employ them, the magnanimity to tolerate them, and the art of managing them."

"Let the right people be in the right positions to accomplish the right things for you."

"This is the true path of an emperor."

From the moment she heard them, these words had been etched into the depths of her soul.

Luo Zhao knew that her temper was not good; this was certainly a result of her innate talent and status.

But as a future emperor, she had to learn to control her own temper, and more importantly, learn to control those who were stronger than her in certain aspects.

Her gaze could not help but quietly fall upon Gu Chengyin once more.

If this man had not used underhanded means to forcibly control her, given her nature, she would never have truly trusted him; she would definitely have set up layers of defenses and tested him at every step.

At this thought, Luo Zhao's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

A thought she had never considered before suddenly flashed through her mind:

Could it be that this was Gu Chengyin's true purpose?

He controlled her not to defile her, not to usurp power, and not even out of simple personal ambition.

But rather, to exchange for the absolute trust she could never otherwise give?

And then, to assist her in achieving great things?

This speculation caused a monstrous wave to instantly surge in the lake of Luo Zhao's heart.

From their first meeting in Beihe City of Luoshui Commandery, to his controlling her through a gamble, and then to his brilliant calculations along the way.

Right up to his calm analysis and precise layout after returning to the Divine Capital... scene after scene flashed rapidly before her eyes like a revolving lantern.

Yes, Gu Chengyin's appearance was almost as if heaven had specifically sent him to save her.

Although his methods made her feel resentful and humiliated, upon closer examination of his actions, apart from testing her, he had never committed any substantive offense or frivolity toward her.

In public, he always maintained her majesty as the Crown Princess, attributed all credit to her name, and rallied the military's morale in her name...

The ultimate beneficiary of all Gu Chengyin's schemes was her, Luo Zhao; everything was done to consolidate her power and clear away her obstacles.

Could it be...

He likes me?

When this absurd thought popped up uncontrollably.

Luo Zhao felt her breathing stagnate for a moment.

Deep within her frozen heart, a certain ripple seemed about to break free from the suppression of reason and surge upward.

Just at the moment this sliver of emotion was about to burst forth.

Luo Zhao's gaze subconsciously followed Gu Chengyin.

She saw him pick up the stack of documentary evidence again, turn slightly, and begin discussing with Shangguan Yunying.

His finger tapped on a certain spot on the document, his expression focused and serious, while Shangguan Yunying leaned in slightly, listening carefully, occasionally nodding and softly offering her own views.

The daylight from outside the window blended with the candlelight inside the hall, outlining the silhouettes of the two discussing side by side.

The man was handsome and composed, holding the pearl of wisdom in his grasp;

The woman was bright and capable, trusting him wholeheartedly.

What a picture of... a talented man and a beautiful woman, working together in perfect harmony.

This image unexpectedly pierced Luo Zhao's eyes, instantly suppressing the ripples that had just surfaced in her heart back to the bottom of the frozen lake.

It was replaced by a clear, piercing chill, and an emotion bordering on irritation.

Whether Gu Chengyin liked her or not instantly became irrelevant, even somewhat ridiculous.

At the very least, she, Luo Zhao, would absolutely never like this damn bastard, not even the slightest bit!

Not only that...

Luo Zhao's gaze shifted sharply to Shangguan Yunying's profile.

This Chief Female Official was her most capable right-hand woman, her most trusted confidante; her ability and loyalty were impeccable.

She absolutely could not let a guy like Gu Chengyin snatch her Shangguan Yunying away!

A strong, almost territorial vigilance suddenly rose within her.

"Ahem."

A clear, light cough interrupted their low-voiced discussion.

Gu Chengyin and Shangguan Yunying stopped talking at the same time and turned to look at Luo Zhao on the main seat.

They saw Luo Zhao wearing her usual indifferent expression, her gaze calmly fixed on Gu Chengyin:

"Junior Preceptor Gu, I believe I understand your meaning."

"Xiao Song is a scheming old fox. Even if he pleads guilty, he will try his best to maneuver in order to preserve the Xiao clan's vitality, or even leave behind a backup plan."

"But now, what's done is done. The chain of evidence we possess has already taken shape. With both witnesses and material evidence present, the momentum of an ironclad case has begun to form."

"So, our countermeasure is to observe quietly and counter his moves as they come, correct?"

A smile appeared on Gu Chengyin's face as he nodded affirmatively:

"Your Highness is absolutely right. Unless we can storm into the Xiao Manor right now, catch the core members of the Xiao clan along with their account books and secret files in one fell swoop, and completely root them out."

"But that is obviously unrealistic. It would cause too much of a commotion, involve too many people, and easily give others leverage against us, which would be a poor move."

"Since we have already done everything we can within the bounds of the rules, what remains is the final showdown with Chief Minister Xiao during tomorrow's morning assembly."

"The initiative is ours, and the advantage is ours as well. Since His Majesty allowed me to present my case in court and tacitly approved our investigation, his stance is already clear."

"Even if Xiao Song has a thousand schemes, he is ultimately responding on the battlefield we have drawn, following the rhythm we have pushed forward."

"Tomorrow, we simply need to sit securely in the fishing boat, refute him one by one with solid evidence, and nail down his crimes."

After hearing this, Luo Zhao nodded slightly, very satisfied with this answer.

She turned her gaze to Shangguan Yunying beside her and ordered:

"Yunying."