My Admiration for Shangguan Yuan

Cui Zhenji cleared his throat, about to speak.

“Lady Jiang.”

A voice suddenly rang out, unhurried yet carrying an undeniable pressure.

Cui Zhenji immediately shut his mouth.

Because the owner of that voice was Yuan Zhengqing.

This Grand Secretary of the Cabinet had been sitting in silence from the very beginning, like a mere observer of this trial.

But everyone knew that Yuan Zhengqing was the true pillar of this joint court session.

When he spoke, no one dared to interrupt.

Jiang Jianli bowed slightly in Yuan Zhengqing’s direction: “Grand Secretary Yuan.”

Yuan Zhengqing’s gaze was as calm as a deep pool, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He asked, one word at a time:

“Right now, are you the liaison envoy of the Green Sword Sect, or are you the wife of the Shangguan household?”

The moment this question was posed, the entire hall fell silent.

Everyone was waiting for the answer.

Because this question was too crucial.

The liaison envoy of the Green Sword Sect represented the Green Sword Sect—represented Jiang Qingshan.

It was the bridge between the cultivation sect and the imperial court, a public and official identity.

As for the wife of the Shangguan household, she represented the Shangguan family—represented Shangguan Yuan.

It represented a rising aristocratic house within the court, a central pillar of the Crown Prince’s faction.

The implications of these two identities were worlds apart.

If it was the former, then Jiang Jianli’s accusation would be an internal matter of the Green Sword Sect.

It would be Jiang Qingshan’s dissatisfaction with Gu Chengyin, the former sect leader’s grievance against the current one—a conflict within the cultivation sect.

This had nothing to do with the imperial court, nothing to do with the Crown Prince’s faction.

Gu Chengyin would still be the great pillar of the Crown Prince’s faction, Shangguan Yuan would still be Gu Chengyin’s trusted man, and everything would remain as it was.

But if it was the latter—

That would be completely different.

If the wife of Shangguan Yuan stood up to accuse Gu Chengyin, it would mean that the Shangguan household was turning against Gu Chengyin.

This was no personal vendetta—it was a struggle within the imperial court, a rupture within the Crown Prince’s faction itself.

One was a sect dispute; the other was a schism within a political faction.

The difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

Cui Zhenji secretly admired Yuan Zhengqing’s shrewdness.

This question was perfectly timed and ruthlessly precise.

No matter how Jiang Jianli answered, she would reveal the true nature of this matter.

Cui Zhenji stared intently at Jiang Jianli, waiting for her response.

But Jiang Jianli showed no sign of surprise.

She seemed to have long anticipated this question.

Or rather, she had long decided how to answer it.

Jiang Jianli met Yuan Zhengqing’s gaze calmly, her voice smooth as still water:

“In response to Grand Secretary Yuan, as for my identity—”

“I am both the liaison envoy of the Green Sword Sect and the wife of the Shangguan household.”

Buzzzz—!

The hall erupted once more.

This answer caught everyone off guard.

Both… and? What did that mean?

Yuan Zhengqing narrowed his eyes slightly.

He didn’t speak, simply watching Jiang Jianli in silence, as if something had flickered in his gaze.

But that something was too deep—too deep for anyone to read.

After a moment, Yuan Zhengqing looked away and turned to Cui Zhenji, signaling flatly:

“Minister Cui, continue the trial.”

Cui Zhenji paused, then quickly nodded in acknowledgment: “Yes, Grand Secretary.”

But his mind was still spinning.

Wait—Lady Jiang, what does that answer mean?

Either you’re the Green Sword Sect’s liaison envoy, or you’re the wife of the Shangguan household.

How can you be both?

These two identities don’t point to the same person!

The liaison envoy of the Green Sword Sect represents your father, Jiang Qingshan.

The wife of the Shangguan household represents your husband, Shangguan Yuan.

These two men—one is the former sect leader of the Green Sword Sect, the other is a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

If both of them were dissatisfied with Gu Chengyin at the same time…

Wait.

Didn’t that mean that Jiang Qingshan and Shangguan Yuan were both planning to move against Gu Chengyin?

Cui Zhenji was startled by his own thought.

But then his eyes lit up.

He couldn’t concern himself with the Shangguan household for now.

But Jiang Qingshan—that was someone he had been trying to court all along!

If Jiang Qingshan really had a grievance against Gu Chengyin, then wouldn’t the accusation of usurping the sect leader’s position be fully substantiated?

Who was Jiang Qingshan?

He was the Green Sword Sect’s previous sect leader—a Core Formation realm cultivator!

Although he had stepped down to deputy sect leader, his status within the Green Sword Sect was beyond question.

If he said Gu Chengyin had usurped the position, that would be ironclad evidence.

And now, the one giving testimony was Jiang Qingshan’s own daughter!

Cui Zhenji felt his blood heating up.

He slammed the gavel hard and bellowed:

“Gu Chengyin!”

“Now that Jiang Jianli, daughter of Jiang Qingshan, the Green Sword Sect’s former sect leader, has personally testified—”

“Accusing you of usurping the sect leader’s position, what do you have to say for yourself!”

All eyes in the hall turned sharply toward Gu Chengyin.

Some were excited, some gloating, some worried, and others coldly indifferent.

Gu Chengyin sat there without moving from start to finish.

His expression was calm—so calm it seemed as if Jiang Jianli had accused someone else entirely, not him.

“Minister Cui, I have nothing to say.”

“But there is one thing I wish to ask Lady Jiang.”

Cui Zhenji was taken aback and instinctively looked at Jiang Jianli.

Jiang Jianli nodded, and only then did Gu Chengyin open his mouth to ask:

"Mrs. Jiang, does Lord Shangguan know that you have come here to testify?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the already solemn hall stirred once more.

The officials who were listening exchanged glances—some furrowed their brows in thought, others were secretly excited. A few who couldn't hide their expressions had already begun to show looks of anticipation, as if waiting for a drama to unfold.

Even those seated behind the official bench couldn't help but let their expressions shift subtly.

Yes, did Shangguan Yuan know?

This question was far too important—even more significant than the one Yuan Zhengqing had just asked.

All eyes in the hall turned to Jiang Jianli.

She wore a plain blue dress, with only a simple jade hairpin in her bun. There was not a single trace of the lavish style one would expect from the wife of a senior minister.

Yet it was precisely this simple attire that made her bearing appear even more refined and extraordinary, exuding an air of noble grace.

If Shangguan Yuan knew, it would be as good as confirmed.

The Shangguan family had truly made an enemy of Gu Chengyin.

If the Crown Prince’s faction had already fractured from within, once this news spread, the entire political landscape at court would be turned upside down.

But if it was Jiang Jianli’s own decision…

Then the problem would be even greater.

The wife of a senior minister, sneaking against her husband’s back to the Censorate to accuse her husband’s ally—what did that mean?

Had the bond between her and Shangguan Yuan been broken?

Or had Shangguan Yuan already lost control within his own household?

As each of these thoughts raced through the minds of those present, Jiang Jianli slowly raised her eyes and looked over at Gu Chengyin.

"Junior Preceptor Gu, does my husband’s knowledge of this concern you at all?"

Her reply was clever—it neither admitted nor denied, but simply tossed the question back as it was.

A flicker passed through Gu Chengyin’s gaze. He maintained a graceful smile as he nodded and said matter-of-factly,

"Of course it concerns me. After all, regardless, I hold great respect for Lord Shangguan."

I hold great respect for Shangguan Yuan.

If such words had come from anyone else, they would most likely have been dismissed as flattery.

But coming from Gu Chengyin’s mouth, not a single person in attendance took it as mere sycophancy.

On the contrary, they all picked up on the implication hidden beneath the surface.