Exactly the Same

Shangguan Yunying froze.

Luo Zhao looked left and right, confirming there was no one in front of the Xuanwu Gate.

She grabbed Shangguan Yunying's hand and pulled her into the shadows beneath the palace gate.

Luo Zhao leaned in, keeping her voice extremely low.

"Yunying, let me ask you a question."

Shangguan Yunying nodded subconsciously. "Please speak, Your Highness."

Luo Zhao deliberated for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts.

After a brief pause, she asked,

"Do you remember what I told you before about Gu Chengyin's cultivation?"

Shangguan Yunying was taken aback.

Gu Chengyin's cultivation?

Of course she remembered; it was on the night of the hypnosis.

Luo Zhao had told her personally that Gu Chengyin's cultivation was directly linked to his status and power.

Suddenly, Shangguan Yunying realized something.

"Your Highness, what do you mean?"

Luo Zhao did not answer directly. Instead, she reached out and pointed at the intricately carved red sandalwood box containing the imperial edict in Shangguan Yunying's hands.

A profound, meaningful smile then curled the corners of her lips.

"Yunying, don't you think this is an excellent opportunity?"

An opportunity?

Shangguan Yunying looked down at the box in her hands, staring at the exquisite red sandalwood.

She suddenly understood.

This was indeed an opportunity.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

But...

"Your Highness,"

Shangguan Yunying said hesitantly,

"Aren't you going to suppress this edict?"

Luo Zhao smiled, her expression looking somewhat enigmatic in the shadows.

It carried a hint of craftiness, a touch of calculation, and an air of absolute certainty.

"I am indeed going to suppress it."

Luo Zhao said softly, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear.

"But that is because Gu Chengyin is too smart, so smart that he would notice even the slightest flaw."

"So I must protect him at all costs. Even if it's an imperial edict from my royal father, I must fight tooth and nail to protect him."

"Only in this way will Gu Chengyin not suspect me, and continue to believe that I am still under his hypnosis."

Shangguan Yunying understood.

Suppressing the edict on the surface was just a show for Gu Chengyin.

It was to maintain the persona of a hypnotized victim.

It was to make Gu Chengyin believe that Luo Zhao was still his puppet, still completely obedient to his every command.

But secretly...

"Then Your Highness means..."

Shangguan Yunying also lowered her voice and asked,

"To find someone to forcefully push this imperial edict forward and have it issued?"

Luo Zhao nodded. Shangguan Yunying was indeed her chief female official; she understood with just a hint.

"But..."

Shangguan Yunying furrowed her beautiful brows. "If it is pushed forcefully, it will offend you, offend Gu Chengyin, and even offend the entire Crown Princess faction."

"Who would be willing to do such a thing? Who would be stupid enough to..."

At this point, Shangguan Yunying suddenly paused, because she saw Luo Zhao smile.

That smile held a gleam of certainty, as if everything was completely under her control.

"Of course there is someone."

Luo Zhao said with full confidence.

"There just so happens to be such a person. As long as he knows, he will definitely intervene."

"He will definitely ensure that this edict I suppressed is issued."

"This person is the current Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."

"Cui Shifan."

Shangguan Yunying was stunned for a moment and blinked.

Luo Zhao then continued,

"Yunying, think about it. If Cui Shifan finds out that I suppressed an imperial edict."

"And the edict is about Gu Chengyin, what do you think he would do?"

Shangguan Yunying followed Luo Zhao's line of thought.

Suppressing an edict and refusing to issue it was a major taboo.

Although the heir apparent had the right to participate in state affairs, she had no right to arbitrarily withhold an imperial edict.

Once discovered, she would be reprimanded at the very least, or deposed at worst.

Especially a Cabinet Elder like Cui Shifan, who came from the Ministry of Rites; what he valued most was the concept of rules.

"He would..." Shangguan Yunying hesitated. "Impeach you?"

Luo Zhao shook her head and explained,

"Impeachment is a matter for the Censorate, not his."

"Cui Shifan is the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, the role model for the entire imperial court."

"He has to uphold the court's decorum and rules."

"So he won't impeach me. Instead, he will use his status as Grand Secretary to bypass the Imperial Household Department and forcefully push for the implementation of this edict."

"Because in his eyes, my actions are non-compliant, unjustifiable, and suspected of favoritism."

"Coupled with the fact that it can suppress the momentum of our faction, how could he possibly let it go?"

Shangguan Yunying understood.

Proactively leaking the news of the suppressed edict to Cui Shifan would guarantee his intervention once he found out.

Then they could use his hands to push this imperial edict forward.

This way, not only would Gu Chengyin not suspect Luo Zhao, but the edict would also be issued smoothly.

Meanwhile, Cui Shifan would think he was suppressing their faction, unaware that he was merely a chess piece being used by Luo Zhao.

This...

Shangguan Yunying frowned, feeling that something was amiss.

This operation, this method...

Shangguan Yunying suddenly froze. She knew what was wrong.

Borrowing strength to strike, driving a tiger to devour a wolf, and keeping oneself completely clean.

Making others do your work for you, and having them thank you after they're done.

Wasn't this exactly like Gu Chengyin?

Only now, it was Luo Zhao doing it.

The exact same routine, the exact same calculation, the exact same...

Master and disciple.

Shangguan Yunying looked at Luo Zhao, her eyes becoming complex.

Since when did Her Highness learn Gu Chengyin's tricks so thoroughly?

And since when did she start using these tricks on Gu Chengyin himself?

Shangguan Yunying hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't help but speak.

"But Your Highness, wouldn't suppressing Gu Chengyin like this damage your own prestige?"

Regarding this question, Luo Zhao's gaze was very calm, without the slightest hint of concern.

Instead, she emphasized,

"Yunying, the imperial edict belongs to my royal father."

"The one who wants to suppress Gu Chengyin is also my royal father."

"What we need to do now is minimize the losses and maximize the benefits."

"Think about it. Although this edict targets Gu Chengyin, does it harm his life?"

Shangguan Yunying was startled and carefully recalled the contents Luo Zhao had just read.

Indeed, from beginning to end, not a single word mentioned conviction.

Not a single word mentioned punishment, much less taking his life.

It merely found an excuse and then ordered Lin Qingyan to escort him back to the capital as a prisoner.

Although it sounded unpleasant, thinking about it carefully, it really wasn't that serious.

Shangguan Yunying shook her head. "No."

Hearing this answer, the corners of Luo Zhao's lips curled up slightly, and she continued,

"Not only does it not harm his life, but it also has my aunt escort him back."

"Yunying, look at it from another angle. What is the difference between this and having my aunt protectively escort him back?"

Shangguan Yunying froze.

Escort as a prisoner... protectively escort...

In essence, there really seemed to be no difference.

Both involved Lin Qingyan bringing Gu Chengyin back, traveling together all the way, spending day and night in each other's company.

The only difference lay in the name: one was an imperial prisoner being brought in under guard, the other was a court official being safely escorted.

What if Gu Chengyin didn't care about this name?

What if he didn't take the identity of an imperial prisoner seriously at all?