Chapter 1177: Chapter 1013: The Nation Cannot Go a Day Without a Ruler

Gu Wanqian looked around, and with a flick, quickly darted into a narrow alley.

As soon as he slipped in, two men swiftly followed.

Gu Wanqian reached a dilapidated courtyard, just about to knock when the door suddenly opened, and someone swiftly pulled him inside.

The two men outside saw someone enter, exchanged a glance, then left the place.

Gu Wanqian was startled, and by the time he came to his senses, he was already inside the house.

"Young Master, haven’t we told you? Do not contact us these days. Once the heat dies down, we will come to find you."

The cloaked man saw Gu Wanqian appear inside the house and couldn’t help but feel a bit angry.

The Young Master and Gu Chengyu are uncle and nephew now and have always been close. Gu Chengyu is sharp and cunning and knows the Young Master’s temperament very well.

If the Young Master shows a hint of his true intentions in front of Gu Chengyu and arouses his suspicion, what are we to do then?

Gu Wanqian, seeing the cloaked man angry, felt a bit discontented. He was risking a great deal to seek them out. If his Little Uncle found out, he doubted his Little Uncle would spare him.

Although he had previously made harsh statements, saying he didn’t want to recognize his ancestors or have any ties with these people, this matter was of significant concern, and he couldn’t bear to see them fall into the court’s hands.

"Do you know why I’m taking this risk? It’s because I’m afraid you’ll end up in my Little Uncle’s hands. I received news that the Crown Prince was assassinated. Was this your doing? Do you realize how dangerous this is? Since hearing this, I’ve been on edge."

Gu Wanqian spoke of the matter, filled with frustration.

"I haven’t slept all night and even dispatched people to gather information. I learned last night that my Little Uncle is under orders to search the entire city. How do you plan to stay hidden with so many people?"

Gu Wanqian didn’t want to admit why he cared so much about these people’s safety. His original intention was to ignore it, yet he still came.

"Young Master needn’t worry; we learned about it last night. When you came just now, you almost got discovered by the patrols left by Gu Chengyu. If we hadn’t sent two people to assist you, you would have aroused suspicion."

The cloaked man saw the worry on Gu Wanqian’s face, which he was not trying to hide, and couldn’t help but feel some comfort.

It seemed that even though the Young Master spoke firmly, deep down, he was still inclined towards them.

"What?" Gu Wanqian’s heart skipped a beat at the thought that he might expose the Map Master and others.

His good intentions turned into a potential misstep.

The Map Master stepped forward and said to Gu Wanqian, "Young Master, rest assured! Our people are not here now, even if Gu Chengyu exhausts his wits, he won’t know where we’re hiding."

The Map Master spoke with confidence. Initially, he was wary of Gu Wanqian, but now Gu Wanqian’s demeanor slightly eased his caution.

"Ahem! Young Master, it’s best if you leave soon, as Gu Chengyu could arrive at any moment. If he finds you here, in this disguise, it will certainly arouse his suspicion."

The cloaked man hurriedly interrupted, fearing the Map Master might reveal any of their secrets to Gu Wanqian.

Since the Young Master was still unfamiliar with them and hadn’t decided to recognize his ancestry, they had to remain cautious.

After all, the Young Master was young, and there was some affection between him and Gu Chengyu. If Gu Chengyu deceived him into revealing all their secrets, wouldn’t they end up suffering?

The Map Master realized this too, and his smile was no longer as sincere as before.

Hearing this, Gu Wanqian couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious, "Then I’ll leave now. If my Little Uncle finds me here, I’ll have no plausible explanation."

Gu Wanqian finished speaking and turned to leave.

"Young Master! It’s best to take a carriage back! Your disguise is too conspicuous. If you run into Gu Chengyu, it will be hard to explain!"

The Map Master quickly stopped Gu Wanqian, sensing the Young Master was still too young and inexperienced.

Hearing this, Gu Wanqian couldn’t help but nod. If he moved too slowly and ran into Gu Chengyu, it would indeed be troublesome.

"Young Master! It won’t be long before the master arrives. You should make a decision soon! Also, these days, avoid contacting Gu Chengyu too much, to prevent him from discovering anything."

The cloaked man stopped Gu Wanqian, knowing the master was coming to the Capital to take the Young Master back to Da Xing. If the Young Master insisted on not going back, the master wouldn’t be as easy-going as they were.

Gu Wanqian opened his mouth but ultimately kept silent and stepped out of the house.

He had thought about this many times. If he left, what would happen to his grandmother? She was from Dayan; would she go with him to Da Xing?

Moreover, returning to Da Xing meant that peaceful days would be gone forever. Since he was a Prince, he would inevitably get involved in the struggle for the throne.

As a Prince recognized halfway, he had no advantage in the fight for succession. The other Princes in Da Xing had deep roots, and how could someone with no foundation like him challenge that?

If he failed in the struggle, the outcome would be his demise.

He couldn’t go; he couldn’t leave his grandmother. Gu Wanqian shook his head, as he couldn’t bear to leave his grandmother or his caring Little Uncle.

Yet, he quickly thought of Gu Chengyu, who, at a young age, was already at the Standard Fourth Rank. He often heard about the aristocratic families’ evaluations of his Little Uncle when he mingled outside.

In just over two years, Gu Chengyu, a poor student, rose to the Standard Fourth Rank. There’s no doubt about his extraordinary abilities.

If he could get his Little Uncle’s support, perhaps he truly could stand a chance.

Gu Wanqian was filled with thoughts, but soon became alarmed by his own ideas. How could he think like that? He clearly hadn’t considered recognizing his ancestry.

...

"I, as your subordinate, pay respects to the Crown Prince!"

In the side hall of Chengqian Palace, officials from the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers were kneeling on the ground, paying respects to the Crown Prince.

At this moment, the Crown Prince appeared extremely tired. After assigning some tasks last night, he had been kneeling in front of his father’s coffin until now. He was just thinking of resting for a while when the ministers blocked his path.

"Gentlemen, there’s no need for such formalities. In another hour, another round of pay respects will begin. Better to conserve your energy, lest you become exhausted."

The Crown Prince thought the ministers were going to bring up the Xia Qing matter, but he was too tired at the moment to discuss it further.

"Your Highness! I have something to say; please allow me to speak!" Shen Shikang stepped forward and said.

Seeing it was his uncle, the Crown Prince’s expression softened a bit.

"Granted!" As the Crown Prince temporarily managed state affairs, this period of experience had bestowed a certain degree of majesty upon him.

Thus, the Crown Prince now exhibited a hint of imperial demeanor in his actions.

"Your Highness! Now that the Emperor has passed away, the country cannot be without a ruler for a day. I earnestly implore Your Highness to ascend the throne early, govern the military and state, and stabilize the nation."

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