Chapter 356: The Turning Point
Chapter 356: Chapter 356: The Turning Point
Gu Kaiyuan served Bai Suihe some soup before saying, "I don’t know what Chen Dafu is thinking, but his temper sure is peculiar.
But in the end, he’s considered a relatively upright person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been an official for so many years yet still be as poor as a church mouse."
There might be some scheming towards himself, but he shouldn’t have ill intentions.
"Do you think he’s trying to give us a warning?" Bai Suihe pondered, "The Third Prince’s actions are so blatant this time. As someone loyal to the Emperor, Chen Dafu is unlikely to cover for him and might have already reported it."
Gu Kaiyuan nodded, acknowledging the possibility, "However, Mr. Chen sees through people’s minds exceptionally well. He’s loyal to his ruler. Though he has the world in his heart, he also harbors personal desires.
Rong Ruiyuan is the son he’s favored and supported. Unless there’s rebellion, at most, there will be minor reprimands."
Didn’t Gu Baijiang manage finances for Rong Ruiyuan before? It’s just that Gu Baijiang was bold enough to hide the silver deeply, merely to survive.
In Chen Dafu’s eyes, Gu Baijiang is already one with the Third Prince. Returning to the capital together this time, if the Emperor were to settle accounts, no one from the Gu Family would escape.
Moreover, with Gu Baijiang having a criminal record, this time might be a complete disaster.
Even though Gu Kaiyuan has changed his household registration and cut ties under witness, what’s the use? Those in power love to nip problems in the bud. Even if Gu Kaiyuan isn’t dealt with publicly, he won’t last long before disappearing.
The couple exchanged a few words, then let the topic drop, lapsing into silence.
After all, Bai Suihe still hadn’t completely come to terms with the fact that she had been reborn and traversed dimensions.
She needed to calm down and think clearly.
☆
In no time, Chen Dafu returned home, where his wife and children had already packed everything up.
Mrs. Chen saw his downtrodden look and said irritably as he entered, "We’re leaving anyway, so why are you running around?
Don’t tell me you still hope Gu Kaiyuan buys this ramshackle house of ours?
I’m telling you, people aren’t interested in our measly belongings; this little house will crumble after a few heavy rains."
"Ah, never mind, you don’t understand." Chen Dafu sighed, "I just thought Gu Kaiyuan was a decent person. Along the journey, thanks to him, we reached safely. Just wanted to return the favor but didn’t expect him to be so wary of me."
"Isn’t this normal? You were almost fawning over the Gu family the entire way; don’t they know you have ulterior motives?
No matter what, Gu Kaiyuan still bears the surname Gu. How could he have a good impression of you?"
"I didn’t do anything wrong, and I’ve chatted with him quite a bit on this journey; we’re somewhat friendly." Chen Dafu reminisced how only Gu Kaiyuan had the patience to listen to his ramblings on the way.
"What kind of friends are you?" Mrs. Chen replied sharply, "You constantly pester him, in such a confined space, what else could he do?"
Sometimes, she felt embarrassed for the old man; their children were as stubborn as oxen, listening but not comprehending, so he clung to Gu Kaiyuan for attention.
"Stop dawdling and see if there’s anything else you need to pack?" Mrs. Chen had gathered what she could, still looking at the little mud house with some regret, considering how it was their laboriously built project, and yet they barely got to settle before leaving, exhausting so much effort.
Chen Dafu looked around, aside from the dry grass and wood piled in the corners, they were practically stripped bare.
Though he did remember one thing; he tiptoed into a corner and fished out several fishhooks from a small hole in the wall, "Almost forgot these."
Mrs. Chen slapped her thigh, "You have a good memory, master. I’ll go retrieve the line so that when we find water, we can fish for meals."
Since coming here, Chen Dafu occasionally fished by the river; the small hooks saved them a lot of staple food.
Thus, this must come along, and he’s prepared to keep it himself lest he leave it behind again.
"These were a gift from Gu Kaiyuan," Chen Dafu pursed his lips; "Despite my many years in office, only Gu Kaiyuan bore no utilitarian interest in me and helped when times were tough...
It’s a pity, that young man is too wary, thinking I’m ill-intentioned, when all I wanted was to offer a kind caution.
Never mind, if the Gu family truly falls on hard times, I’ll find an opportunity to speak well of him in front of His Majesty, maybe even help Gu Kaiyuan avoid involvement."
The carriage to pick them up soon arrived in the village, but this time it wasn’t heading directly to the capital but rather to the provincial city.
Gu Kaiyuan quickly got the news, briefly surprised, but soon figured it out.
In the past life, Rong Ruiyuan didn’t take on this assignment—instead, military generals swiftly quelled the Lingnan unrest, eventually earning a special appointment from the Emperor as the Southern Guardian General, cementing the regional stability over time.
Speaking of which, the current Emperor is a good ruler, genuinely committed to governance, merely unable to let go of power due to age, now wary of his sons—a tactic of raising them to vie among themselves for the best candidate as Crown Prince, while failures serve to sharpen the blade of the future emperor.
Rong Ruiyuan seemingly enjoyed some fortuitous advantage for when he passed, he had monopolized the court.
But it’s uncertain if the Emperor will truly name him Crown Prince; perhaps he’s merely being wielded as a weapon.
Now with Rong Ruiyuan handling this task and such a significant blunder, even if appeasing Tutor Lu by ceding Lingnan territory, it’s forever out of Rong Ruiyuan’s grasp.
Tutor Lu’s faction isn’t to be trifled with, and he is notably protective. If Rong Ruiyuan fails to resolve Xu Zitian, he’ll face retribution.
Chen Dafu was originally to return to the capital, but given this situation, he must clean up the mess here and wait for a rightful successor.
And if the guess is right, for recompense, the incoming successor might likely be one of Tutor Lu’s many disciples.
The concurrent upheaval rapidly flooded Bai Suihe’s previously melancholic thoughts, redirecting her mental agility. The court is more fearsome than any career field, where even the Emperor must sometimes appease his subordinates for balance.
"Hasn’t Rong Ruiyuan’s trajectory shifted because of us?" Bai Suihe now hoped that her butterfly effect could redirect the narrative, no—the destiny of the past life.
"Possibly, but achieving smooth sailing like before isn’t possible anymore."
No matter past or present life, Gu Kaiyuan resolved to never let Rong Ruiyuan ascend the throne.