Chapter 1257 - 1093: Token
Chapter 1257: Chapter 1093: Token
Yuan Bin was not surprised when he heard this; he had been suspicious of Prefect Qiu for a long time, but lacked evidence.
"Just give the orders, sir!" Yuan Bin had heard of Gu Chengyu’s famous name, knowing well of his strategic skills, and that he was the favorite before the Emperor. He also heard that the new Emperor thought highly of him; otherwise, he would not have been sent to the border to investigate the case.
He only had martial arts skills and was lacking in strategy, so he decided to leave such troublesome matters to others!
Ming Mo could not find Gu Chengyu in the room, so he guessed that Gu Chengyu would have gone to Yuan Bin’s room and headed in another direction.
He saw that Yuan Bin’s room had an open window and immediately sneaked inside through it.
Gu Chengyu recognized from the aura and footsteps that Ming Mo had arrived; Yuan Bin heard someone entering and grew tense again.
"No need to panic; didn’t you just praise him for being impressive? Now he’s here, and you seem guarded instead." Gu Chengyu lowered his voice, with an expression of jest.
"Oh! Is it that young brother?" Yuan Bin stared with starry eyes at Ming Mo, who was covered from head to toe, making Ming Mo shiver.
Though he found the person’s gaze unsettling, Ming Mo did not take him to heart. He stepped forward and bowed to Gu Chengyu, "My lord!"
"We can speak here! Let General Yuan also hear!" Gu Chengyu understood Ming Mo’s meaning and needed Yuan Bin’s cooperation, so naturally, he had to inform Yuan Bin of Prefect Qiu’s plan.
"Yes! Earlier, I overheard that Prefect Qiu plans to harm General Yuan, having tampered with his herbal medicine. Additionally, I heard him mention a plan tonight, although he didn’t go into details. He only said if General Yuan wakes up, it would hinder his plan."
Yuan Bin coughed harshly upon hearing this, "This man truly harbors wild ambitions, wanting to put me to death. General Hu Wei sent me to guard Wujun Prefecture; the intention behind wanting to eliminate me is already obvious!"
Yuan Bin struggled to sit up, clutching the Token tightly. He knew Prefect Qiu feared him waking to command the troops. Without his documents and Token, no one could mobilize the fifty thousand soldiers.
Gu Chengyu signaled for Ming Mo to help, and as Yuan Bin sat up, he pulled at the wound in his abdomen, causing him to groan in pain.
Gu Chengyu frowned, recalling how the doctor said Yuan Bin was severely wounded. He wouldn’t be able to enter the battlefield for at least a month as he needed bed rest.
He glanced at Yuan Bin, "Prefect Qiu has likely aligned with Prince Gong. Having just taken Huadong Prefecture, they want to seize Wujun while you’re still heavily injured and the border reinforcements have yet to arrive."
Yuan Bin sneered, "Their appetite is considerable; unfortunately, as long as I, Yuan Bin, live another day, I won’t let them succeed!"
Gu Chengyu pondered briefly, gaining some newfound respect for Prince Gong’s capability. He wondered how many troops Prince Gong had. If it numbered in the hundreds of thousands, he might stand against the court.
But given Zifeng Prefecture’s proximity to Prince Jing’s Fengqing Prefecture, can Prince Jing truly be unaware? He doesn’t believe it.
"This time I returned to Yumen Pass because the old man informed me General Wei Hu was ambushed, gravely injured, and unconscious. General Hu Wei had recognized and trusted me; how could I sit idly by? I acted impulsively then and headed straight for Yumen Pass. But upon arrival, I found General Wei Hu was only wounded in his arm with no life-threatening concern."
Yuan Bin took a deep breath, his complexion turning paler than before.
"I realized it was a ploy, suspecting someone wanted to lead me away to disadvantage Wujun Prefecture. So I immediately turned back, only to face the first assassination attempt before even leaving Yumen Pass. Dozens of men in black attacked me, and I fought my way through a bloody path, being struck multiple times."
"When Wujun’s gates were finally in sight, I faced the second assassination attempt."
Gu Chengyu nodded. The doctor also mentioned Yuan Bin’s wounds were deep; the abdominal and shoulder injuries were horrific, indicating how severe the suffering was at the time.
He admired this person’s persistence; despite grave injuries, once back at Wujun Prefecture, he had no hesitation joining the battlefield, maintaining his stance until Ming Mo rescued him. Such dedication and loyalty are truly remarkable.
The court is fortunate to have such a person, though regrettably not very clever in certain aspects. Yet perhaps he is not foolish after all, just not fond of deceitful schemes, a typical straightforward person.
"You’re unable to enter the battlefield for now and need to rest in bed for over a month. Given Prince Gong has captured Huadong Prefecture, Wujun certainly isn’t out of the question. Wujun Prefecture does not compare to Huadong, and he won’t miss that chance. However, if you follow my plan, avoid acting rash!"
"Thank you, Mr. Gu! But I still urge you to consider my earlier suggestion: I see him as capable yet cautious, such talent should not be buried!"
Hearing Yuan Bin bring this up again, Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but twitch his mouth – will this ever end?
"By the way, Liu Meng previously said the first batch of assassins was not sent by them; I’m unsure what he means exactly. I have some understanding of him, and he despises lying. He believed I would certainly die at that moment, so there was no necessity to deceive!"
Yuan Bin recalled the conversation with Liu Meng on the battlefield, feeling a hint of doubt rising within.
"Oh? So, regarding the first assassination attempt against you, there are others at play!" Gu Chengyu deliberated momentarily, developing a hypothesis.
The quiet conversation inside the room concluded, lapsing into silence.
"Mr. Gu, I request you temporarily keep this Token! Even if things fail today, Prince Gong won’t rest until satisfied. I won’t boast of bravery; the truth is, I’m unable to fulfill my duties! I’ll also give you a document, nominally granting you command over those fifty thousand soldiers for now. What do you say?"
Yuan Bin spoke slightly breathless, maintaining eye contact with Ming Mo. His implication was clear.
Gu Chengyu understood Yuan Bin’s meaning; he intended for Ming Mo to undertake the task. Yet, this was precisely the offer he awaited—having fifty thousand troops provided an increased sense of security.
Now at the border, currently in this Wujun Prefecture, hiding is futile. If uninvolved in the matter, the Emperor will certainly disfavor him.
Those courtiers are even more annoying, like flies, disgustingly so; when the time comes, they might even try pinning the blame on him. He has family and relatives in Dayan; his entire clan’s fate hinges on him.
Choosing not to follow Prince Gong, it was long predestined he’d stand opposed to him. If earlier Prince Gong exposed more of his power, perhaps he might have considered siding with him?
"It’s against national law!" Gu Chengyu directly refused, not reaching for the Token.
"This is merely a temporary measure; please put the greater picture first, Mr. Gu. I understand this is challenging for you, but there’s no better option now. Once I’m better, I will resume this role. Should the court prosecute later, I’ll take full responsibility."
Under the current laws, without the Emperor’s approval, a civil servant cannot touch the Token. Although it’s an unavoidable move, liability may still come upon Gu Chengyu if pursued.