Reality and Truth

Time returned to a few days later.

Luodu, Fan Tower.

The night was deep. Moonlight spilled through the carved window lattices, laying a layer of silvery-white frost across the floor.

Flickering candlelight traced the hazy outlines of the room's furnishings and illuminated the two figures sitting opposite each other by the window.

Gu Chengyin sat on the soft couch, one hand resting on his knee, the other gently tapping the edge of the low table, producing a faint, rhythmic knocking sound.

His brows were slightly furrowed, his gaze falling upon Shangguan Yunying in front of him, undercurrents surging in the depths of his eyes.

Shangguan Yunying had just finished recounting the events that had transpired in Shendu, as well as the reason she had come to Luodu.

From the delivery of the imperial edict, to Luo Zhao suppressing it, to Cui Shifan investigating the news, to the Grand Secretariat forwarding it to the Celestial Master Mansion, to Emperor Luo's furious punishment, and finally to Luo Zhao being confined to reflect on her mistakes.

Every event, every detail, she explained clearly and thoroughly.

After hearing this, Gu Chengyin remained silent for a long time.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows over his face, making his handsome features seem somewhat elusive.

He looked as if he was pondering, or perhaps chewing over something, the crease between his brows growing deeper.

Shangguan Yunying sat quietly opposite him, watching the changes in his expression, her heart tightening slightly.

She knew Gu Chengyin was suspicious.

This man never easily believed anything anyone said.

No matter who they were, no matter how substantial the evidence, he had to run it through his own mind.

He had to deduce it with his own logic, only nodding when every single link matched up perfectly.

And right now, Gu Chengyin clearly felt that something did not add up.

Shangguan Yunying lowered her eyes, concealing the emotions within them.

Do not panic.

She told herself.

Now is not the time.

As long as Gu Chengyin did not ask, she would pretend she knew nothing.

As long as he could not find evidence, she had ways to steer the conversation away.

After a little while longer, Gu Chengyin finally spoke.

Yunying.

His voice was very calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

But Shangguan Yunying knew that this was exactly the most dangerous moment.

The calmer Gu Chengyin was, the more his mind was turning.

You just said.

Gu Chengyin's gaze was as deep as an ancient well. In the very beginning, Her Highness received this imperial edict?

Shangguan Yunying nodded. Yes.

What was the situation at the time?

That day, the person in charge of the Luodu Celestial Master Mansion, Elder Qiu, came to Shendu.

Shangguan Yunying answered truthfully. After Elder Qiu entered the palace to seek an audience with His Majesty, it was not long before His Majesty urgently summoned Her Highness into the palace.

I accompanied Her Highness into the palace. When Her Highness came out of the warm pavilion, she was holding a purple sandalwood box, which contained this very imperial edict.

Gu Chengyin nodded slightly and asked again:

So after Her Highness received the edict, she returned to the Crown Princess's Palace and suppressed it?

Yes.

Shangguan Yunying nodded once more. At the time, I even asked Her Highness what we should do with this edict.

Her Highness only said that this edict could not be issued and to suppress it for now.

She didn't state a reason?

No.

Gu Chengyin fell silent.

He lowered his eyes, his fingers continuing to tap gently on the edge of the table.

Luo Zhao was the hypnotized subject; she trusted him absolutely, obeyed him completely, and treated him as her master.

So, when receiving such an imperial edict targeting her master, what would a qualified hypnotized subject do?

Naturally, suppress it and not issue it.

Naturally, wait until her master returned to discuss it.

Naturally, never allow this edict to harm her master.

This fit the logic perfectly, and it aligned with the behavioral patterns of a hypnotized subject.

But...

Gu Chengyin's frown deepened.

For some reason, he felt that things were not that simple.

Yet he could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

On the surface, every link was reasonable and logical: Luo Zhao suppressed the edict because she was hypnotized, Cui Shifan pushed it forward to suppress him, and Emperor Luo issued a punishment because the edict was withheld.

Everything followed a natural course, fitting together seamlessly.

But it was simply too smooth.

So smooth that it made his hair stand on end.

Gu Chengyin lifted his eyes, looking at Shangguan Yunying:

So in the end, it was Cui Shifan who reported to His Majesty, and in the name of the Grand Secretariat's Chief Minister, forwarded it to the Celestial Master Mansion, forcefully issuing this edict?

Shangguan Yunying nodded vigorously:

Yes! Pavilion Elder Cui somehow found out about Her Highness suppressing the edict and went directly into the palace to seek an audience with the Emperor.

He said that the Crown Princess suppressing the edict was a violation of the system, a cover-up, and damaging to the imperial court's decorum.

His Majesty naturally grew furious, issuing an order to severely reprimand Her Highness, and then ordered the Grand Secretariat to forward it to the Celestial Master Mansion, thereby issuing the edict.

Shangguan Yunying paused, a trace of grievance appearing on her face:

Her Highness was ordered to close her doors and reflect on her mistakes, forbidden to leave without an imperial summons.

I didn't know what to do either, so I had no choice but to come to Luodu to find you.

Looking at Shangguan Yunying's face full of worry, Gu Chengyin's heart softened.

It was not strange for Shangguan Yunying to come looking for him.

After all, she knew Luo Zhao was under his hypnosis and knew that all of this had started because of him.

Facing such a situation, who else could she seek out but him, the instigator?

Alright, I understand the situation.

Gu Chengyin softened his tone, comforting her:

Yunying, don't worry for now. Come back to Shendu with me first.

Once we return and sort everything out clearly, we will make our plans.

Shangguan Yunying nodded, the worry on her face seeming to dissipate a little.

After all, Gu Chengyin was currently in Luodu, where both his resources and intelligence networks were highly restricted.

He could only access the various pieces of news brought by different parties.

And whether this news was true or false, whether there were omissions, or whether it had been deliberately embellished, could not be confirmed.

Under these circumstances where truth and falsehood were hard to distinguish, Gu Chengyin could only use logic to deduce the most likely path.

And as of right now, all intelligence basically pointed to Cui Shifan.

Whether it was the imperial edict targeting him or the process of pushing for its issuance, Cui Shifan's shadow was essentially everywhere.

From a motivational standpoint, Cui Shifan indeed had ample reason.

With Xiao Song's precedent right before his eyes, Cui Shifan, aside from wanting to cut ties with the Crown Princess's faction, naturally had to be careful not to become the next Xiao Song.

So suppressing the Crown Princess's faction, and even targeting him, the grandmaster of the Crown Princess's faction, was only natural.

There was logic, motive, and evidence.

Yet Gu Chengyin simply could not settle his mind.

He always felt something was wrong.

It was like a puzzle missing its most crucial piece; clearly, the edges were all complete.

But in the center lay an empty black hole, invisible, intangible, yet truly existing.

Gu Chengyin lowered his eyes, his fingers ceasing their tapping.

What exactly was missing?

Sitting opposite him, watching Gu Chengyin's conflicted expression, Shangguan Yunying cried out in dismay in her heart.

This man was too sensitive; the slightest anomaly could not escape his eyes.

Although everything she had just said was true, every event had actually happened, and every detail truly existed.

But Shangguan Yunying also knew that what Gu Chengyin wanted was not reality, but the truth.

Reality and the truth were sometimes two entirely different things.