Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 793 - 629 Assassination Encounter

Gu Chengyu and the others discussed for nearly half an hour, but in the end, they still couldn’t come to a conclusion.

"Teacher, I rushed here right after leaving the Hanlin Academy, and I haven’t eaten yet!"

Gu Chengyu insisted on not leaving, demanding to eat before returning to the mansion.

He finished his duties a bit late today and came directly to the Liang Mansion after leaving the Hanlin Academy.

"Look at me, I didn’t even think to ask you." Liang Zhirui was a bit annoyed; it had already been over two hours, and Gu Chengyu was likely quite hungry.

"Steward Liang, quickly ask the kitchen to prepare some meals."

When only the two of them remained in the study, Gu Chengyu finally spoke, "Teacher! I’m afraid our third senior is not siding with the Eldest Prince!"

Liang Zhirui was taken aback by this remark, "What do you mean by that?"

Gu Chengyu pondered for a moment and said, "It’s just a suspicion of mine; perhaps our third senior has already pledged allegiance to Prince Jing."

"What? That’s impossible!" Liang Zhirui couldn’t believe it. Did He Jisheng really have the audacity to forsake a warm opportunity?

"He used to praise the Eldest Prince. If he had sided with Prince Jing, why would he defend the Eldest Prince in front of us?"

This was Liang Zhirui’s reasoning. He Jisheng used to commend the Eldest Prince for his intelligence and capability. The implication couldn’t have been clearer.

"But what if he is loyal to both masters, one overt and one covert?"

Gu Chengyu shook his head; he wasn’t entirely sure.

The reason he made this claim was due to the Eldest Prince’s unnatural demeanor when Master mentioned Liang Zhirui siding with him earlier.

Moreover, even though he hadn’t met He Jisheng many times, he noticed that He Jisheng had a habit.

Whenever his thoughts didn’t match his words, his hands would always fidget.

He Jisheng wore a jade ring on his left thumb, and just now, he was spinning the ring with his fingers. After realizing his habit, he stopped after just one turn.

But again, this was merely speculation!

"What kind of theory is this? Tell me more," Liang Zhirui said gravely, believing that Gu Chengyu wouldn’t speak without reason.

"It’s nothing more than him outwardly supporting the Eldest Prince while secretly having close ties with Prince Jing."

Gu Chengyu spoke these words with careful consideration, despite lacking evidence; he believed the possibility was high.

Liang Zhirui paced back and forth in the room, clearly agitated.

"He’s playing with fire! Does he think it’s easy to get along with the Eldest Prince? If the Eldest Prince finds out, he won’t let him off easily."

Gu Chengyu snorted, "The Eldest Prince is no pushover, and Prince Jing is not easy to fool. This person is used to forbearance, strategic beyond measure, with a ruthlessness that exceeds even the Eldest Prince’s."

Gu Chengyu had previously discussed Prince Jing with Liang Zhirui, so Liang Zhirui was well aware of Prince Jing’s true character.

"If Prince Jing had half the benevolence of the Second Prince, I would have no hesitation in asking you to choose him. Unfortunately, his cruelty is too great; even though he is resourceful and decisive, I cannot agree with you siding with him."

Liang Zhirui had high expectations for this young disciple. He did not approve of Prince Jing and did not want his young disciple to ally with him.

He felt that Prince Jing was unlikely to succeed. From the incident with Gu Chengyu’s second uncle, one could see that his methods were too domineering.

To truly win over talented individuals, sincerity must accompany strategy. With such plotting, who could genuinely feel comfortable?

Even if forced into servitude, how could one serve wholeheartedly?

"I understand! But life is unpredictable, sometimes full of disappointments," Gu Chengyu sighed, reflecting on how intricate planning doesn’t always lead to success.

"Alas! This third disciple of mine has always seemed ambitious and rash. I’ve advised him countless times. Though your second senior might be of average aptitude, he’s steady in his actions. Even if he accomplishes nothing significant in life, advancing two more ranks before retiring wouldn’t be impossible. But your third senior won’t heed advice, always thinking that opportunities are not to be waited for but proactively seized."

Suddenly, he chuckled, pointing at Gu Chengyu, "In temperament, he’s quite similar to you; neither of you is content with mediocrity."

However, Gu Chengyu possessed skill and executed actions with confidence, making such behavior unobjectionable.

But relying on others as He Jisheng did was inherently unreliable, highlighting the key difference between him and Gu Chengyu.

"Master need not worry too much; it’s just my conjecture. If Master remains uneasy, I can immediately have someone investigate the recent movements of our third senior. Our third senior’s father-in-law is Dong Zhen of the Ministry of Imperial Stables; perhaps it was Dong Zhen who facilitated the connection. Starting with him could yield results."

Gu Chengyu was merely speculating. It was with Dong Zhen’s favor that He Jisheng became his son-in-law.

Gu Chengyu had also researched Dong Zhen, finding him to be quite decisive and tenacious.

Otherwise, with his age alone, even with family support, he couldn’t have quickly advanced to a Secondary Third Rank.

Liang Zhirui shook his head, "You’ve just managed to distance yourself from Prince Jing; how could I let you take another risk? Besides, even if you discover something, what would it matter? Your third senior won’t listen to me. I will inform your other two seniors of your suspicions to prevent them from being..."

Liang Zhirui trailed off, but Gu Chengyu understood his meaning.

It was simply to prevent the two seniors, especially the eldest one, from falling into He Jisheng’s schemes.

Several peaceful days passed, and then unexpectedly, a major incident occurred today. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Gu Chengyu was working on compiling a section of the guidelines; he had only completed a small portion of the Ministry of Justice section, needing to speed up progress.

Chou Yifan entered the room from outside, holding books, likely from seeking relevant literature for the guidelines.

However, upon entering, he didn’t begin working immediately but sat in his seat, seemingly lost in thought.

He glanced at Gu Chengyu, his eyes shimmering with a sharp gleam.

"Ahem! Mr. Gu, I heard that the Eldest Prince was attacked."

Gu Chengyu was shocked, "The Eldest Prince was attacked? What happened?"

"Mr. Gu hasn’t heard yet? Well, this happened just yesterday, so you probably haven’t received the news."

"Please, Mr. Qiu, could you elaborate on this matter?" Gu Chengyu cupped his hands, making a gesture of attentively listening.

"No need for formality, Mr. Gu; I don’t know much either. I heard that a few days ago, the Eldest Prince went to Hejian Prefecture regarding the massacre case and was attacked on the way back to the Capital."

Chou Yifan briefly described, as he had only heard from the followers beside his father-in-law; the precise details would only be known after returning from work.

"Is the Eldest Prince alright? Have the assailants been captured?" Gu Chengyu quickly inquired.

Chou Yifan shook his head, "I heard he was seriously injured and only returned home last night. The Emperor has already sent an Imperial Physician to diagnose him. However, since the physician hasn’t yet left the Prince Mansion, we don’t know the situation. As for the assailants, it’s even harder for us to find out at the moment."

Hearing this, Gu Chengyu fell into thought. The physician entered the mansion and hasn’t left yet; could the injuries be very serious?

Who might the assailant be?