Living Up to Expectations

The sunlight was just right, neither harsh nor scorching, lazily spilling across the bluestone long street outside the Censorate.

Gu Chengyin stepped out of the government office and walked alone along the street toward the Crown Prince’s palace.

In his mind, he began to carefully sort through today’s joint court trial.

Acquitted and released.

When those words came from the Censorate’s chief official, Gu Chengyin was not surprised.

From the moment he stepped into the Censorate, he had known this would be the outcome.

All he had to consider was how the process would unfold and how each faction would make its moves.

In the end, it had gone even more smoothly than he had anticipated.

The chief official was a member of the Cold Stream faction. Without Yuan Zhengqing’s authorization, he would never have dared to speak so boldly in the courtroom.

And the fact that Yuan Zhengqing had given his approval meant that Shangguan Yuan had already handled Cui Shifan outside the courtroom.

This conveniently acquired father-in-law had always been reliable in his dealings.

The previous instances had already proven this—each time, things would suddenly begin.

Yet Shangguan Yuan could always immediately catch on, coordinating with flawless precision.

Since Cui Shifan had been taken care of, he would certainly go to communicate with Yuan Zhengqing.

After all, although this joint court trial was ostensibly an imperial order from Emperor Luo, it was actually Cui Shifan who had been secretly driving it behind the scenes.

After the Xiao family fell, the many vacancies left in the court had been consumed by the Cui family—the most, the fastest, and the most greedily.

Now, with Gu Chengyin undergoing a joint court trial, it certainly involved the tacit approval of Emperor Luo.

But the one exerting force behind the scenes was still this Chief Grand Secretary, who sought to use the opportunity to seize leverage over him.

So, since Cui Shifan had initiated the trial, it naturally had to be Cui Shifan who would bring it to a close.

The only one who had suffered any real damage in the entire process was probably Cui Zhenji.

As his thoughts drifted, Gu Chengyin turned the street corner and stepped into a slightly narrower alley.

Here, there were fewer pedestrians, and the branches of the sycamore trees intertwined, casting shadows in the sunlight.

The reason Cui Shifan had conceded was because Gu Chengyin had already placed his pieces months ago.

Shanshui City.

The Second Prince’s pilot project for new policies, the tacit indulgence of Emperor Luo, the wary speculations of the court officials...

Everyone was waiting, waiting to see what fruit this city would ultimately bear.

But Gu Chengyin was one of the few who had known from the very beginning how Shanshui City would end.

Behind the Second Prince’s new policies lay an intention to rebel and usurp the throne.

Gu Chengyin knew this clearly, and Cui Shifan knew it even better.

As for Luo Zhao, Shanshui City was a test she had to pass.

If she couldn’t deal with Shanshui City, how could she guard the Great Luo Dynasty’s rivers and mountains in the future?

How could she sit firmly on that supreme dragon throne?

Thus, Shanshui City’s fate was sealed.

Sooner or later, the Crown Prince’s faction would take action against Shanshui City.

Either absorb it or eliminate it.

In the end, the Prince’s faction’s efforts would come to nothing.

But Gu Chengyin didn’t care about any of that.

What he cared about was how big a fish the bait of Shanshui City could hook.

And among those fish, aside from the new aristocratic families of Luodu, there were also the old noble families of Shendu.

So Gu Chengyin had proactively leaked the inside story of Shanshui City to Cui Shifan.

On the surface, it was meant to forge goodwill.

At that time, toppling the Xiao family had caused court instability, so he needed allies.

The Cui family was powerful; if he could build a rapport with them, it would make many things easier in the future.

This was what Gu Chengyin wanted Cui Shifan to believe.

But secretly, he was playing a much larger game.

Because the timing of when Cui Shifan received this insider information was far too early.

So early that Shanshui City was still just an ordinary little town.

So early that the new policies hadn’t even begun, and everyone was still watching from the sidelines.

So early that as long as Cui Shifan entered the game, he would inevitably reap staggering profits.

The only thing that could have avoided the deadly trap behind this game would have been for Cui Shifan to resist the temptation.

Unfortunately, Cui Shifan couldn’t.

Gu Chengyin’s pace slowed slightly, his gaze falling on a fallen leaf on the ground ahead.

The leaf was dry and curled at the edges, already a bit frayed.

Cui Shifan ultimately couldn’t hold out.

But then again, who could resist such a temptation?

The inside story had come so early, so accurately, so irresistibly.

Any other person would have likely made the same choice as Cui Shifan.

What Cui Shifan didn’t know was that the moment the Cui family poured their manpower and resources into Shanshui City,

they had handed their own vulnerability directly into Gu Chengyin’s hands.

When the net was cast over Shanshui City, when that city met its destruction,

what role would the Cui family play, having entered the scene so early?

Would they be seen as part of the rebellious Prince’s faction?

Or as neutral and unrelated?

That wasn’t for Cui Shifan to decide.

The one who truly decided was Gu Chengyin.

If he said the Cui family was part of the Prince’s faction, then they would be rebels plotting insurrection.

The account books of Shanshui City would contain the names of Cui family members, the deeds of Cui family businesses, the correspondence between Cui family protégés—none of it would be missing.

With ironclad evidence, Cui Shifan would have no way to defend himself.

Unless...

A hint of a genuine smile finally touched the corner of Gu Chengyin’s mouth.

Unless Cui Shifan agreed to his terms.

If that happened, then the Cui family in Shanshui City would simply be merchants who happened to be doing business there.

Nothing to do with the Prince’s faction, and even less to do with rebellion.

Clean, pure, and spotless.

This was the true intent behind initially revealing the inside information.

Lure them with profit, pressure them with power, let them sink deep into the trap, and then offer the only path of escape.

Even if Cui Shifan wanted to pull out midway, it was already too late.

Just like when he dealt with the Xiao family back then.

Everyone thought the Crown Prince’s faction was aiming only to bring down Xiao Song alone.

Cui Shifan thought so too, so the Cui family scrambled to cut ties, protect themselves, and realign themselves politically.

By the time they realized that the true target was the entire Xiao family, everything was already too late.

Cui Shifan could only mourn while forcing the Cui family to take a share of the Xiao family’s spoils.

The same strategy, the same calculation, only this time, the stage was Shanshui City.

On the surface, the Crown Prince’s faction was targeting Shanshui City and the Prince’s faction.

But in reality...

A slight smile curled at the corner of Gu Chengyin’s mouth.

The position of Minister of Rites was a good seat— good because it could lead to entry into the Grand Secretariat.

This was unlike the first morning court session, when Emperor Luo had offered him a place in the Secretariat.

Back then, Gu Chengyin had declined.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want it, but that he couldn’t accept.

Refusing was about coordination, about paving the way for the next grand scheme.

Even if he had agreed at that time, it wouldn’t have been a true entry into the Secretariat—

it would have been like moving a pawn to another chessboard.

If he had nodded in agreement then, the next day he would have been executed by slicing for entering the Secretariat with his left foot.

But the position of Minister of Rites was different.

This was a proper promotion, following the rules and procedures.

Once he sat in the seat of Minister of Rites, no one in the court could find fault with it.

When the time was ripe, entry into the Grand Secretariat would naturally follow.

The only obstacle was the few other senior officials also qualified to enter the Secretariat.

But that didn’t matter.

Gu Chengyin had already walked out of the alley, and the view before him opened up.

The outline of the Crown Prince’s palace was faintly visible in the distance.

He would clear out these competitors, one by one.

He would clear the field until, across the entire court, the only candidate left with the qualifications, merits, and ability to win people’s support was himself.

At that point, even Emperor Luo couldn’t stop his entry into the Grand Secretariat.

No matter how high the emperor’s craft of power,

it could never prevail against the word “unanimous acclaim.”