The Warlords

The Crown Prince’s Palace.

“You’re saying that Gu Chengyong told your mother to act as a witness and accuse him?”

Luo Zhao sat behind the desk, a memorial to the throne still in her hand, unfinished.

But at this moment, her attention was no longer on the memorial.

Her eyes fixed on Shangguan Yunying, who stood before her, her brow slightly furrowed, as if confirming she hadn’t misheard.

The intelligence network of the Imperial Household Office had long been unrolled, and every move within the Censorate was visible to her.

Luo Zhao had thought she would receive news of how Gu Chengyong was handling the situation.

She had expected to hear amusing tales about Cui Zhenji being thwarted, or scenes of officials from the Three Departments gaping in shock.

But instead, she received something utterly unexpected.

Jiang Jianli had come forward as a witness—to accuse Gu Chengyong.

And the strangest part was that Gu Chengyong had instructed her to do so.

Shangguan Yunying nodded, her expression equally complicated.

Clearly, when she had first learned of this news, she had been just as surprised.

“My father told me,” Shangguan Yunying said.

“He said it was Gu Chengyong who helped him find this token of allegiance.”

Luo Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“A token of allegiance?”

“Yes.”

Shangguan Yunying continued, “As long as Mother steps forward as a witness, the Shangguan family will have a reason to go to Shanshui City. At the same time... the outside world will speculate whether there has been internal strife within the Crown Prince’s faction.”

Luo Zhao fell silent, her mind spinning rapidly.

She traced the entire chain of events from beginning to end.

Gu Chengyong had indeed expressed his wish for the Shangguan family to go undercover in Shanshui City. She had known this early on and had agreed to it.

If the Shangguan family could infiltrate internally, it would be an immense boon for the Crown Prince’s faction.

But the problem was that Shangguan Yuan’s identity was far too sensitive.

He still bore the label of being half a member of the Crown Prince’s faction.

How could the Princes’ faction easily trust someone like that?

And how could the other emerging aristocratic families of Luodu remain free of suspicion?

Though the Shangguan family represented the emerging aristocracy, that was only because Shangguan Yuan was a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

His status was rooted here, but it did not mean that all emerging aristocratic families would trust him unconditionally.

They all had their own interests to weigh, their own schemes to consider.

No one would blindly follow simply because of someone’s high position.

So Shangguan Yuan needed a token of allegiance.

One that would both convince the Princes’ faction and reassure the other emerging aristocratic families of Luodu.

And what could be more persuasive than Jiang Jianli stepping forward as a witness?

Who was Jiang Jianli?

She was the mother of the Chief Female Official Shangguan Yunying, and the sole beloved wife of Shangguan Yuan.

Though the relationship was somewhat complicated, in the eyes of outsiders, she and Gu Chengyong were on the same side.

For one of their own to come forward and accuse another—what did that mean?

It meant that trouble had brewed within the Crown Prince’s faction.

It meant that Gu Chengyong and Shangguan Yuan had an irreconcilable conflict.

It meant that Luo Zhao had chosen Gu Chengyong, leaving the Shangguan family with no choice but to “abandon the darkness for the light.”

With this token of allegiance, neither the Princes’ faction nor the other emerging aristocratic families of Luodu would be as resistant to the “defecting” Shangguan family.

There might still be doubts, there might still be caution, but at least the foundation for mutual benefit and cooperation would be laid.

On that foundation, subsequent matters could be negotiated slowly.

Having worked through this logic, Luo Zhao’s expression turned complicated.

She couldn’t help but bite her lower lip, her teeth pressing into it until it turned faintly pale, betraying the turmoil within her.

He had only wanted to use this joint court trial to see if he could bring down Gu Chengyong just a little.

But he never expected that, while deeply entangled in a scheme, Gu Chengyong would use it to advance his own plans for the Shangguan family.

He turned the blade meant for him into a piece on his own chessboard.

He transformed what should have been a crisis into an opportunity for a mole within the Shangguan family.

Luo Zhao had indeed anticipated that Gu Chengyong would handle things with ease.

But she never imagined that Gu Chengyong wouldn’t just handle it—he would arrange everything for the Shangguan family so thoroughly.

That bastard... how could he be this clever!

Luo Zhao gritted her teeth even tighter: "Aren’t he afraid of shooting himself in the foot with this move?"

Shangguan Yunying said nothing. She understood that Luo Zhao’s mood was complicated right now.

On one hand, she was shocked by Gu Chengyong’s tactics. On the other, she was furious at her own failure.

Her scheme was meant to suppress him, yet Gu Chengyong didn’t care at all.

Not only did he not care, but he also tidied up everything he needed to do along the way.

It was as if everything Luo Zhao had done was nothing more than a childish tantrum.

And that, precisely, made Luo Zhao even more livid.

Thinking it over, Shangguan Yunying could somewhat grasp Her Highness's feelings.

But she didn’t forget that there was still important business to attend to.

“Your Highness,” Shangguan Yunying spoke, drawing Luo Zhao’s attention back.

“Father says that during this time, he will not contact the Crown Prince’s faction. In fact, there may even be some conflicts.”

“Please understand.”

Luo Zhao looked up at Shangguan Yunying, her gaze returning to calm.

“Mm, I understand.”

Luo Zhao wasn’t surprised by Shangguan Yuan’s approach.

Though she still couldn’t outplay Gu Chengyong for now, it didn’t mean she hadn’t grown.

A show must be put on completely. Whether Second Prince Luo Yanchen believed it or not didn’t really matter.

As long as the benefits were great enough to convince the princes’ faction, that was enough.

The will of an interest group wouldn’t waver because of an individual.

After all, the Shangguan family was a rising power spanning Divine Capital, Luo Capital, and the cultivation sects.

How could the princes’ faction resist such strength?

Once contact was made and deals were struck, false pretenses would gradually turn into reality.

But even knowing this, Luo Zhao was still deeply irritated.

Because Gu Chengyong’s move made it clear:

He had never taken this joint court trial seriously.

Not only did he have confidence in his own ability and tactics, but he also had full backing—

And that backing was, without a doubt, Lin Qingyan.

Luo Zhao recalled last night’s scene.

Lin Qingyan’s unabashed favoritism.

With the protection of this Golden Core immortal, even if the sky fell, Gu Chengyong would come through unharmed.

Luo Zhao bit her lip. She had no way to handle her aunt.

Lin Qingyan was bound by no rules.

She was no court official, so the cabinet held no sway over her.

She was no sect disciple, so no sect rules could restrain her.

There was only one way to command this Grand Astrologer hermit.

The more Luo Zhao thought about it, the angrier she got, the more unwilling she became.

She had originally planned to hold something back.

But now it seemed that bastard didn’t need her restraint.

If that was the case, don’t blame her for burning the bridges.

A flicker of resolve passed through Luo Zhao’s eyes.

She reached out, took something from the drawer of her desk.

It was a specially made Luoshan Token.

Shangguan Yunying’s heart leaped at the sight of this token.

That design.

That emblem.

This Lushan Token.

Is specially used to contact the Heavenly Master Mansion.