Chapter 630 Where will our hands-off boss go next?
The next morning, when Chu Ruohan woke up feeling sore all over, the sunlight outside the window was already a little dazzling.
The man next to him had already stood up. He was wearing a loose shirt and was sitting at the table drinking tea. He looked refreshed, with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
Chu Ruohan glared at him unhappily.
She really couldn't afford last night's "reward".
Gu Junze put down the teacup, walked to the bedside, helped her up in a very good mood, dressed her and combed her hair himself, his movements were unspeakably gentle.
The two were about to have breakfast when the inn waiter knocked on the door.
"Sir, there's a girl named Liu downstairs who said she's going on a long journey early this morning, so she left a package for you two."
Chu Ruohan and Gu Junze looked at each other.
Gu Junze went downstairs to retrieve the package.
When they opened it, there was no gold, silver or jewelry inside, only a letter and a detailed list.
The letter was written by Liu Yingying. Her handwriting was beautiful and her words were sincere. She said that she had written down the "rewards" and names given by those people according to the lady's instructions.
Thank you, Madam, for sending people to rescue her brother. She will go and reunite with her brother, and then leave for another place and never return to Beijing in this life.
And on that list, there were more than a dozen names densely written.
The leader was the political enemy of the head of the Ministry of Revenue who was overthrown by Gu Lu, the current Minister of Rites.
Afterwards, several court officials were also implicated.
These people were the old forces with complicated connections that Gu Junze pointed out during Gu Lu's chess game that night.
"Will Liu Yingying encounter any danger?"
"Don't worry! I've already arranged someone."
Chu Ruohan picked up the list full of names and lightly ran her fingertips over the first few words, "Minister of Rites, Zhang Zhengzhong".
“So it’s them.”
There was no emotion in her voice, only a hint of regret.
"Each of them is a well-known figure in the court. They appear to be decent people on weekdays, but I didn't expect that they are such wicked people behind the scenes."
Gu Junze took the list from her hand, folded it up casually, and said indifferently: "A desperate dog will always jump over the wall. I gave them a chance, and they will naturally seize it."
"So what are you going to do?" Chu Ruohan poured him a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him. "Send this list back to the capital and give it to Gu Lu?"
"Um."
Gu Junze picked up the teacup, lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes.
"I gave him a knife, so I must also give him a whetstone. Otherwise, wouldn't this journey be in vain?"
Chu Ruohan laughed when she heard this: "Aren't you afraid that this whetstone is too hard and will break the edge of his knife?"
Gu Junze looked up at her, a smile spreading in his eyes: "My knife is not that easy to break."
He put down the teacup, took out a small bamboo tube from his bag, and took out paper and pen.
Chu Ruohan stood up naturally, walked to his side, and ground ink for him.
The faint scent of ink permeates the room.
Gu Junze did not write a single word in the letter, but simply copied the list. However, his handwriting was even more murderous than the original one.
He rolled the copied list into a thin roll, stuffed it into a bamboo tube, and sealed the opening with wax.
After doing all this, he walked to the window and made a very soft bird song.
A moment later, a gray carrier pigeon flew out from some corner of the inn and landed lightly on the window frame. It tilted its head and looked at Gu Junze with its small black eyes.
Chu Ruohan watched this scene and couldn't help but teasingly said, "You're really well prepared for going out. You even brought a carrier pigeon with you."
Gu Junze tied the bamboo tube to the pigeon's leg with skillful and gentle movements.
"It's better to be prepared." He replied without turning his head.
He stroked the pigeon's feathers, as if giving a silent order.
Chu Ruohan walked up to him and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Tell me, do those people in the capital now think that you and I have forgotten the ups and downs of the court because we are traveling around?"
"It's better this way." Gu Junze's voice was very soft, "Only when the lion is asleep will the fox dare to come out of the cave."
He let go of his hand.
The carrier pigeon flapped its wings and flew up, circling over Yanxia Town. It then identified the direction of north, turned into a small black dot, and disappeared into the sky.
The two of them looked quietly in the direction where the pigeon disappeared, and no one spoke.
After a long time, Chu Ruohan withdrew her gaze and turned her head to look at the man beside her. The lines on his face seemed slightly softened in the morning light.
"Well, the whetstone has been sent out." She smiled softly. "Where will our hands-off boss go next?"
Gu Junze turned around and held her hand. The coldness in his eyes disappeared, leaving only tenderness.
"Go wherever you want to go."
Capital, Gu Mansion.
Gu Lu stood in front of the study window, looking at the willow tree in the yard. He had been standing there for almost an hour.
Ever since my uncle and aunt left Beijing, the entire Duke Zhenguo's Mansion has fallen silent.
But the court was more noisy than ever before.
Those officials who used to remain silent in front of their uncle now seemed to have found an outlet to vent their anger, and they put countless obstacles in his way, both openly and covertly.
Memorials impeaching him for being young and impetuous and acting too hastily appeared on the emperor's desk almost every day.
The new policies he implemented were met with soft resistance from all departments, with excuses and lip service being given to them, making it difficult for him to move forward.
Gu Lu knew that this was a test left to him by his uncle.
When he is not around, he is the face of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion in the court and the primary target of attack for all forces that want to shake the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
He can't retreat, and he shouldn't.
Just then, the sound of flapping wings interrupted his thoughts.
A dusty gray carrier pigeon landed on the windowsill and was combing its messy feathers with its beak.
Gu Lu’s eyes narrowed.
He recognized the carrier pigeon; it was raised by his uncle.
He walked over quickly, carefully removed the wax-sealed bamboo tube from the pigeon's leg, waved his hand to let it fly into the room, and personally sprinkled some millet and clean water for it.
After doing all this, he returned to his desk, pried open the wax seal with a knife, and poured out the extremely thinly rolled paper inside.
The note unfolded, and there was neither a greeting nor any advice on it.
There was only a dense column of names and their respective official positions.
Zhang Zhengzhong, the Minister of Rites, and Wang Qinian, the Councillor of the Ministry of Public Administration...
These people are the old ministers who have been the most critical and the most covert in trying to trip him up in the court recently.
He had only vaguely sensed that there seemed to be an invisible net behind these people, but he was never able to get a full picture of it.
And now, his uncle spread out the net completely in front of him.
Gu Lu's breathing was a little rapid.
He understood.
My uncle is not traveling.
My uncle was using himself as bait to lure these poisonous snakes hidden deep under the water out of their holes one by one.
And he, Gu Lu, is the knife responsible for cutting off the snake's head.
A surge of hot blood rushed from my chest to my head.
All the previous depression, boredom, and powerlessness in the face of difficulties were swept away at this moment by this light list.
Instead, there was unprecedented thrill and excitement.
He held the list close to the candlelight and watched the names curl up in the flames, turn black, and finally turn into ashes.
The firelight reflected his young and resolute face. There was no longer any confusion in his eyes, only sharpness and calmness like a knife.
"Someone come here." He said in a deep voice.
Outside the door, the butler immediately responded and came in: "What do you want, young master?"
"Prepare court attire."
"I want to go to the palace and see the emperor."
The butler was stunned, then bowed in response.
Uncle, please watch carefully.
You didn't sharpen this knife wrongly.
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