Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 857 - 693: Blind to True Worth

Rong Mian winked at Ming Mo, speaking with a tone of suggestion.

Their voices were not low, and Gu Chengyu initially thought the person would act first, showing intelligence.

Also, knowing to use the pretext of delivering a late-night snack to find him, although it might be to curry favor with him, hoping for the antidote.

Moreover, Rong Mian’s words just now made Gu Chengyu see him in a new light, as it was considered a reminder that Yi Lanwen was not so obedient and might have other plans.

Otherwise, Yi Lanwen wouldn’t need to post guards at the ancestral hall, possibly to capture people he sent, to gain favor in front of Yi Lanshan.

"Oh! Thank you for the reminder, little brother. Since tonight’s not safe, try to stay indoors as well."

Ming Mo took out two taels of silver from his sleeve, placed it on Rong Mian’s tray, and then closed the door again.

As soon as Ming Mo turned around, he saw Lu Chen standing behind him, looking at the closed door.

He felt a jolt, thinking that Lu Chen might have discovered something.

Ming Mo shifted his gaze to his master, Gu Chengyu, who smiled without giving any indication, causing Ming Mo to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Lu Chen, having listened to the conversation between the two and seeing Ming Mo give the servant two taels of silver, dispelled his doubts.

With a tray in hand, Rong Mian left with a troubled look on his face.

"With such a commotion at the Yi Mansion, it doesn’t seem right for us to stay locked inside. To avoid raising suspicion, it would be better to go out and ask around."

Gu Chengyu thought for a while, unsure of Prefect Liao’s intentions, and needed to step out to meet with him.

Especially Qu Huaiwen, who still had half of the treasure map; he needed to find a way to connect with the Qu Mansion.

"Does Lord Lu know who currently possesses the treasure map originally from the Yi Mansion? We can’t leave the Yi Mansion empty-handed this time; we must figure out a way to track the treasure map!"

Gu Chengyu adjusted his clothes and looked at Lu Chen with calm eyes.

Lu Chen felt that, at this moment, Gu Chengyu seemed slightly more distant than before. Had Gu Chengyu already seen through his lies?

"I do not know. Tonight, many people and horses came, all faces covered in black. How would I know who succeeded?"

Lu Chen sighed helplessly, frowning as if he were troubled by this matter.

Gu Chengyu touched his nose, thinking that Lu Chen truly assumed others were fools.

However, Lu Chen was also confident that he had no leverage over himself. In Lu Chen’s eyes, he was just a weak scholar unfit to truss a chicken. Given even Ming Mo’s skills stand no chance against him, naturally, he wouldn’t be taken seriously.

Moreover, he had no evidence to identify Lu Chen as the one who stole the treasure map.

Gu Chengyu felt a bit regretful. If he knew where the Qu Family had hidden the treasure map, he wouldn’t need to use such painstaking methods.

He could have directly stolen the map and returned to the capital to settle matters. Then, he could have gotten a promotion sooner, leading a satisfying life.

Gu Chengyu mulled over it, realizing that without knowing, he would have to delve deeper into danger.

"Let’s go! Let’s check on the Yi Clan Leader. With the Yi Mansion caught in a fire and a night raid tonight, it seems significant losses occurred. We must offer some comfort, right?"

Gu Chengyu took the lead, walking ahead without inquiring if Lu Chen would follow.

Unless Lu Chen was a fool, he would certainly follow behind. Now was the perfect opportunity to prove he had nothing to do with this incident!

Gu Chengyu passed unimpeded all the way to outside the inner study, noticing on the way that there were many more guards within the Yi Mansion, distinct from the usual attire of the Yi Mansion.

These people should be dispatched by Qu Mansion; who would have thought the Wu Mansion and Prefect Liao had already formed an alliance? Could Prefect Liao have joined Xia Qing’s faction?

"Stop! Who goes there?"

The Yi Mansion was already chaotic, and stopping Gu Chengyu and his group were guards from the Qu Mansion.

Gu Chengyu turned, frowning at the person who had shouted.

"You blind fools, this is Mr. Gu, the imperial envoy appointed by the Emperor! What are you, that you dare speak disrespectfully to him?"

Ming Yan stepped forward, admonishing them.

These people had naturally heard that there was an imperial envoy from the court staying at the Yi Mansion, but how could the Emperor’s envoy be so young?

At a glance, it didn’t seem real; perhaps they were the ones who had stolen the treasure map before, changing their clothes, thinking they wouldn’t be recognized?

Seeing Ming Mo and the others holding short swords in their hands only reinforced their suspicions.

"Hmph! You say you’re the imperial envoy, who are you fooling? Speak, what is your intention in impersonating the Lord Imperial Envoy? Could you be the bandits who robbed the treasures from the Yi Mansion?"

One person stepped forward, swiftly drawing the sword in his hand and mocking Gu Chengyu and the rest.

Seeing this, several others quickly drew their swords in support.

They thought Gu Chengyu and his group would be frightened or, if they were bandits, would retaliate.

Who would have thought Gu Chengyu neither answered nor acted, but instead looked beyond those people.

"Qu Clan Leader, what a display of power!" Gu Chengyu curled his lips, revealing a hint of mockery.

"Yi Clan Leader, I wasn’t aware that the once orderly Yi Mansion had turned into the Qu Mansion. Could it be that this official’s eyesight has deteriorated with age, and when I visited, I couldn’t quite read whether the plaque bore Yi Mansion or Qu Mansion?"

Gu Chengyu’s gaze landed on Yi Lanshan, who had arrived from the other side, dismissing Qu Huaiyun with just a sentence.

Yi Lanshan’s face turned ashen, having the Qu Family invade his hall was a shame to the Yi Family.

He was already burning with rage, and now Gu Chengyu was rubbing salt into his wound, making him fume with anger.

"Is this Mr. Gu, the imperial envoy dispatched by the court? This old man was unaware that Mr. Gu was visiting the Yi Mansion today, truly a surprise!"

Qu Huaiwen was in a good mood at this moment. Although he hadn’t obtained the treasure map, seeing the Yi Mansion in such turmoil inexplicably delighted him.

"This old man has met the Lord Imperial Envoy! The guards at the manor were merely searching for those who staged a night raid on the Yi Mansion, fearing someone might disguise themselves to slip through. Moreover, these are all rough people who don’t understand the rules, and we ask for your understanding!"

Qu Huaiyun bowed to Gu Chengyu, then turned and scolded the guards: "Scoundrels! This is the Emperor’s appointed Lord Imperial Envoy. You truly are blind; why don’t you quickly apologize to the Lord?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Qu Huaiyun shouted loudly, but from his tone, Gu Chengyu realized there was little sincerity in his reprimand, the manner rather nonchalant.

Gu Chengyu’s heart sank. Yi Lanshan was someone who cared for face, so when dealing with him, Gu Chengyu only needed to persistently pester, leaving Yi Lanshan with no recourse.

But Qu Huaiyun seemed like a rogue, perhaps even thicker-skinned than himself, likely proving more challenging to handle than Yi Lanshan.

"We ignorant fellows failed to recognize the gold inlaid jade and mistook the Lord as a thief. We deserve to die a thousand times. We plead for the Lord’s mercy, considering that we are but crude men!"