After leaving the Myriad Treasures House and making sure no one was following him,
Gu Chenfeng returned to the Thousand Beauties Pavilion, resumed his identity as the Third Young Master of the Gu Family, and led his men home.
The moment he returned, he found his eldest sister, Gu Yanshuang, waiting for him in the main hall.
"Eldest Sister, did you want to see me?"
Gu Yanshuang had yet to remove her light armor. Her flawless face bore no makeup, nor any trace of emotion.
She merely sat there in silence, yet exerted an oppressive presence, deep as a still abyss and immovable as a mountain.
She looked like a female general who had just fought her way out of the Asura Battlefield.
Even though Gu Chenfeng now possessed a nine-star Meridian-Opening Realm cultivation,
he was still cowed by his eldest sister's presence the moment he entered the hall.
"Went to the Thousand Beauties Pavilion again?"
"Uh..."
Gu Chenfeng remembered that his eldest sister had been so busy lately that she barely came home.
How did she sound as though she knew his every move?
Fine. He should have known someone would tip her off.
"I did," Gu Chenfeng chose to admit.
"I heard you became the intimate guest of Lady Su, the woman hailed as the foremost artist in the Imperial Capital.
"You leave early and return late every day, and you spend all that time with her."
"Ahem... that's true. Lady Su appreciates my literary talents. We exchange poetry and songs every day."
The corners of Gu Yanshuang's lips lifted slightly as she scrutinized Gu Chenfeng, making him feel distinctly uneasy.
"Your Drunken West Chamber has already become famous throughout the Imperial Capital. I've read it too. It does have some substance.
"I never realized you had such talent. You must have put quite a bit of thought into winning over Lady Su."
"I..."
Discussing his visits to a brothel with his eldest sister felt terribly awkward to Gu Chenfeng.
Gu Yanshuang, on the other hand, was quite at ease.
"Don't be nervous. I don't object to this.
"Lady Su is only a courtesan, so naturally, she isn't qualified to become the principal wife of a young master from the Chancellor's Residence.
"But taking her as a concubine to carry on the Gu Lineage would be perfectly acceptable.
"It's certainly better than spending all day obsessively pestering the Princess and stirring up trouble."
Gu Chenfeng's mouth twitched. Just how much of a bastard had he been before?
His eldest sister actually considered his daily visits to a brothel an improvement.
Gu Yanshuang changed tack. "I don't object to you going to the Thousand Beauties Pavilion, but I have two conditions!"
"What conditions?" Gu Chenfeng asked curiously.
"First, since you like Lady Su, you mustn't seduce her and then abandon her.
"Once Grandfather comes out of seclusion, you should tell him yourself, redeem her as soon as possible, and take her as your concubine."
Gu Chenfeng knew he couldn't explain his relationship with Su Wanyue clearly, and his eldest sister wouldn't believe him anyway. He could only nod.
"And the second condition?"
"Well..."
Gu Yanshuang hesitated, but ultimately spoke.
"Ahem... it's understandable for a young man to have hot blood, but you need to exercise restraint. Especially since you have no cultivation. Don't damage your health."
"Huh...?"
Gu Chenfeng froze for a moment.
Was his eldest sister afraid he would wear out the Gu Lineage's sole remaining shoot?
Gu Yanshuang put on a stern expression. "An eldest sister is like a mother. When you were little, your second sister and I even bathed you together. What haven't we seen?
"Why make such a fuss over a little thing like this?"
Gu Chenfeng was utterly speechless.
Who are you looking down on, Eldest Sister? Mine isn't a 'little thing' anymore!
And you're clearly only pretending to be calm. Don't think I missed you secretly blushing just now.
"All right, let's talk about something serious."
Gu Yanshuang changed the subject.
"After determining that the two assassins who attacked you were connected to Gu Masters from the Northern Frontier, we've been investigating ever since.
"A group of Gu Masters appeared in the Imperial Capital a while ago, but by the time our people arrived, someone had already silenced them. The trail went cold."
Gu Chenfeng nodded. He had more information about this matter than she did.
With Su Wanyue now helping to move the investigation forward, he wasn't in a hurry.
Gu Yanshuang cautioned him again. "Until we uncover the true culprit, try not to leave the Imperial Capital, especially in the coming days."
Something stirred in Gu Chenfeng's mind. Ever since entering the hall, he had noticed a faint shadow between Gu Yanshuang's brows.
Coupled with how busy his eldest sister had been lately, he could roughly guess what was happening.
"Has the Huangfu Lineage started making trouble?"
Surprise crossed Gu Yanshuang's face, then she nodded.
"His Majesty is frail and frequently ill, and seldom attends to state affairs. The position of crown prince has also remained vacant.
"Many of the empire's affairs are decided jointly by the Left and Right Chancellors and the Six Ministers.
"Naturally, two major factions formed.
"Grandfather was once the foremost figure in the Imperial Military and holds enormous influence among the armed forces. Now that he has moved from military command into civil office, he stands alongside the Left Chancellor.
"The Left Chancellor, Huangfu Hong, and his people fear him, so they've done everything they can to suppress and constrain him politically.
"By now, the two factions are as incompatible as fire and water, with deep enmity between them.
"And now that Grandfather has gone into seclusion because of his injuries, the Gu Lineage is a gathering of dragons without a head.
"The Left Chancellor's faction naturally won't let this opportunity slip."
At this point, Gu Yanshuang's gaze grew more solemn.
"Recently, there have been numerous changes in court appointments.
"Many civil officials and military officers friendly to our Gu Lineage have been dismissed, demoted, or transferred from their posts for various reasons.
"Behind it all is the Left Chancellor, wielding his authority in concert with the Ministry of Personnel."
Gu Chenfeng knew how brutal power struggles could be. The Left Chancellor's faction ultimately wanted to bring down the Gu Lineage.
Once the Gu Lineage fell, it wouldn't simply lose its power. Their enemies would surely cut them down to the last root.
That much was clear from Zhang You's repeated malicious schemes against him.
Speaking of that fellow, his injuries should be almost healed. He might start stirring up trouble again.
Gathering his thoughts, Gu Chenfeng asked, "Eldest Sister, do we have a way to respond?"
Gu Yanshuang nodded. "Although the Left Chancellor now controls the court and we can't confront him head-on,
"our Gu Lineage has operated in the Imperial Capital for so many years. How could the strength and connections we've accumulated collapse so easily?
"These past few days, I've met secretly with our allies and discussed how we can work together to check his power.
"We might not be able to suppress the Left Chancellor's faction, but we can at least stabilize the current situation."
"Also, I'm seeking promotion to Chief Commander of the Tiger Guard.
"Although the Imperial Guard is the royal family's private army and cannot participate in factional struggles,
"once I hold that position, the allies supporting our Gu Lineage will feel far more confident and secure!"
Meeting Gu Yanshuang's piercing gaze, Gu Chenfeng felt a pang of heartache.
Gu Yanshuang was only in her early twenties.
In his previous life, someone her age would still be in an ivory tower, enjoying romance without a care in the world.
Yet now, this young woman had to keep an enormous lineage running amid the shifting clouds and treacherous currents of the Imperial Capital.
She also had to cultivate desperately and strive for promotion, yet she did it all without complaint or regret.
"Eldest Sister, thank you for all your hard work. From now on, the Gu Lineage has me too."
The words slipped out of Gu Chenfeng's mouth.
Gu Yanshuang paused, visibly moved. At last, a gratified smile appeared on her face.
"Our little boy has grown up. You know how to share your sister's burdens now.
"But leave the court struggles to me.
"What you need to do is protect yourself and help the Gu Lineage spread its branches and leaves as soon as possible."
Gu Chenfeng's mouth twitched violently.
Eldest Sister, I want to be the Gu Lineage's fighter jet, not its seed-sowing machine!
Seemingly feeling that Gu Chenfeng had become much more sensible, Gu Yanshuang not only explained the current situation in the Imperial Capital,
but also revealed the greatest difficulty the Gu Lineage currently faced.
"By now, we've countered most of the Left Chancellor's faction's overt attacks.
"What's hardest to fend off is their assault from the shadows."
"Their assault from the shadows?"
"You probably don't know this yet, but many rumors harmful to our Gu Lineage have begun circulating in the Imperial Capital.
"Someone has accused Father of killing innocent civilians to claim military merit during the war against the Barbarian Tribe ten years ago.
"They also claim that while serving as commander at the border, he lived in arrogance, extravagance, and debauchery, squeezing the people's fat and marrow dry."
Gu Chenfeng's expression changed slightly.
When it came to dirt on the Gu Lineage, even a third-generation wastrel like him had to step aside.
That father he had inherited was the biggest pitfall of all.
Among the Imperial Capital's upper circles, practically everyone knew how much water had been mixed into the reputation of the empire's God of War.
"I heard that when the Barbarian Tribe invaded, Grandfather's former subordinates did help Father win and even handed him credit for many of their achievements.
"If anyone investigated, it would amount to overstating his military merits at most. How did that become killing civilians to claim merit?
"As for arrogance, extravagance, and debauchery, those accusations are true.
"But the northern border has barren land and impoverished people. What fat and marrow could he squeeze out of them? What he squeezed dry was clearly our Prime Minister's Residence!"
Gu Yanshuang smiled bitterly.
"This is what it means to kill without drawing blood. It's the most vicious method of all.
"Father did leave plenty of things for people to hold against him at the border. These people seize on those faults and magnify them.
"When rumors mix truth with falsehood, it becomes difficult to tell them apart.
"Once one accusation is confirmed as true, why would ordinary people bother distinguishing truth from falsehood in the rest?"
Hearing this, Gu Chenfeng also realized how serious the problem was.
This move by the Left Chancellor's faction was even more insidious than suppressing them at court. They intended to destroy the Gu Lineage's reputation.
After all, Old Master Gu was a veteran statesman who had served three reigns.
He had followed the Founding Emperor in conquering the realm, helped the Late Emperor expand its borders, and even saved the current emperor's life. His achievements were countless.
Even his father, though a watered-down God of War,
had indeed led an army that routed the Barbarian Tribe in the battle in the Northern Territory all those years ago.
His father's military merits might have been false, but the heads and blood of those Barbarian Tribe soldiers were not.
Thus, even today,
the empire's people still regarded the Gu Lineage as a house of loyal, courageous heroes and a pillar of the nation.
The Left Chancellor's faction wanted to use his father as a "fulcrum" to overturn the Gu Lineage's prestige and reputation.
A trace of worry appeared on Gu Yanshuang's face. "The difficulty lies in the fact that Father really does have stains on his record.
"If we deny them, our enemies will seize on them and refuse to let go.
"But if we admit even one point, public opinion will reject everything about the Gu Lineage."
Gu Chenfeng was troubled too. It truly was a dilemma.
"At this point, I'm afraid only Grandfather coming out of seclusion can settle everything."
With Gu Beiwu's illustrious achievements, his Grandmaster-level strength, and his standing in both military and political circles,
even though the Left Chancellor's faction had spent years putting down roots among the civil officials,
they had still been unable to shake Gu Beiwu's influence all this time.
As long as Gu Beiwu emerged from seclusion, every rumor would vanish like smoke and clouds.
"By the way, Eldest Sister, how is Grandfather doing? Where is he in seclusion?"
Gu Chenfeng finally asked the question that had been troubling his curiosity all along.
Ever since arriving in this world, he had never met this legendary old man.
Gu Yanshuang could only shake her head helplessly.
"Grandfather's old injury suddenly flared up, and he had no time to tell anyone.
"He only sent a message to the lineage and His Majesty, saying he would go into seclusion for a while to heal.
"As for when he'll emerge or where he's in seclusion, no one knows."
Hearing this, Gu Chenfeng inwardly shook his head.
The old man's condition was a complete unknown. They could hope for him, but they couldn't rely on him.
Since I've become part of the Gu Lineage, and Eldest Sister treats me so well,
I need to find a way to improve the Gu Lineage's situation and share her burdens.
"Don't dwell on it. I'll find a way to resolve this. Go back and rest."
Gu Yanshuang rose and glanced at Gu Chenfeng.
She had intended to ask how his cultivation had been progressing lately.
But remembering that Gu Chenfeng either slept all day or spent his time at the Thousand Beauties Pavilion, she abandoned the thought.
Gu Chenfeng acknowledged her words and hurried back to his room.
Now that the Great Pill was in his hands, his most urgent task was to break through to the Source Qi Realm!
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