Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 584 - 420: Jealous?

Is Gu Chengyu implying that he instructed Min Feng to steal his credit?

Glancing at the back of Gu Chengyu, Xia Qing finally couldn’t resist letting out a cold snort and followed De An into the Imperial Study Room.

Xiao Quanzi noticed Xia Qing’s grim expression and felt a shiver in his heart. He truly admired Mr. Gu’s ability to remain unruffled in front of the Prime Minister. However, he knew that sooner or later the Prime Minister would find ways to trip Mr. Gu up, and Mr. Gu might not be able to withstand the Prime Minister’s wrath.

He sighed softly, feeling a sense of shared hardship.

Yet, when he thought about the Emperor’s favor towards Mr. Gu, perhaps Mr. Gu’s situation wasn’t as dire as he imagined. Shaking his head, he decided to take care of himself first.

Gu Chengyu walked to Min Feng and Zhang Hai, first greeting Zhang Hai formally without saying a word, and then passed them by.

Zhang Hai saw Gu Chengyu’s composure unchanged and his courteous greeting, which made Zhang Hai feel a bit ashamed. Gu Chengyu, despite being a subordinate, had always been respectful towards him.

Even after committing such an act today, Gu Chengyu displayed neither grievance nor anger, his demeanor remaining as usual.

It was his clouded judgment that led him to make such a mistake, ruining his reputation. Kneeling outside the Imperial Study Room today, seen by passing eunuchs and palace maids, the news likely spread already.

A single misstep turns into eternal regret, losing not only face but also dignity. With today’s events exposed, could the Prime Minister still recommend him to the divine doctor?

Only Gu Chengyu knows his own thoughts; how would others discern them? There’s naturally a rift with Zhang Hai, but Zhang Hai is the Grand Scholar of the Hanlin Academy, the highest official there. Any dissatisfaction shown would only strain their relationship further.

He still had to work under Zhang Hai in the future, so maintaining a low profile was wise, leaving room for reconciliation later.

He noticed a hint of remorse on Zhang Hai’s face, guessing there might be underlying reasons. Regardless of Zhang Hai’s true nature, only considering his minimal interaction with Xia Qing and subtle disapproval of Xia Qing’s actions, it seemed unlikely for Zhang Hai to conspire with Xia Qing.

This could be seen from his attitude towards Min Feng. Zhang Hai’s attitude towards Min Feng was no different, which might suggest he was adept at hiding his true emotions.

No matter what, for now, he leaned towards the former view. He planned to inquire further about Zhang Hai from his senior soon. Previously gathered information was superficial, the reasons might be veiled.

If not for Zhang Hai, seeing Min Feng kneeling might have tempted him to mock, since their ties were already severed. He wanted to see if Min Feng could still maintain composure despite the rift.

Both were newly appointed officials at Hanlin Academy; originally, Min Feng was somewhat aloof. It made no sense for him to be tainted by the political arena abruptly. Surely, it was his good teacher’s guidance; otherwise, Min Feng couldn’t have adapted to the court’s darkness so quickly.

Min Feng felt resentment when Gu Chengyu walked past without even a glance. What did Gu Chengyu mean by this? Was he disregarding him completely, treating him like an ant?

This time, with no eunuchs escorting him, Gu Chengyu swiftly returned to the Hanlin Academy, faster without the little eunuch’s delay.

"Jinyu, what was the reason for the Emperor’s audience with you this time?" As Gu Chengyu strode into the room, Ren Ge sitting at the desk hastily asked.

Ren Ge had served at the Hanlin Academy for years, and the Emperor never summoned him alone. Yet this Champion Scholar, having been at the academy for less than half a month, was summoned twice, sparking envy among all.

Even Jiang Kenan glanced over curiously, raising his head from amid the archives to look at Gu Chengyu entering the room.

Gu Chengyu chuckled internally, lamenting that he could hardly keep a low profile. In a moment, he decided to disclose the matter briefly, but Min Feng’s attempt to take credit was better left unsaid to avoid seeming petty.

Anyway, they would naturally learn of the catalog once the imperial decree was issued. If left unspoken, he’d face their resentment for not being upfront.

"In truth, it wasn’t a major issue; I merely drafted a catalog for the codes. The Emperor summoned me to discuss topics related to the codes."

Gu Chengyu headed to his desk and, seeing the chronicles there, realized he would be busy for some days. Proofreading the chronicles brought no merit; superiors only remembered the compilers, making it a thankless task.

Ren Ge and Liu Zonghan exchanged glances at the mention of the catalog. Could it be more than just a simple numbering? Ren Ge flipped through his chronicles perplexedly, finding nothing special in the numbers.

The confusion wasn’t limited to Ren Ge; Liu Zonghan and Jiang Kenan also looked baffled.

"Jinyu, what catalog are you referring to? Is it just like this?" Ren Ge asked in curiosity, naturally seeking clarity.

He approached Gu Chengyu, lifting his chronicles to show him.

Gu Chengyu knew they wouldn’t comprehend since it was a common sight in his past life but unfamiliar in this dynasty. Yet, he didn’t care to explain as they’d understand once the Emperor ordered the compilation of the codes.

"Not exactly, just something hard to explain; you’ll understand in a few days," Gu Chengyu smiled apologetically at the three before picking up the chronicles to begin the proofreading.

The three noticed Gu Chengyu’s reluctance to elaborate and pouted; Gu Chengyu was keeping them in suspense. Getting the Emperor’s favor certainly boosted his confidence, yet they couldn’t quell their curiosity and decided not to let it rest.

Even the usually silent Jiang Kenan spoke up, "Jinyu, why not show us the catalog to satisfy our curiosity? We’re colleagues and get along well. Surely you aren’t worried we’d steal your credit?"

Jiang Kenan’s words expressed goodwill, but his typically stern demeanor made everyone glance at him in surprise.

Gu Chengyu felt uneasy hearing this, uncertain whether Jiang Kenan was merely inept in speech or harboring envy, sensing a tinge of acidity in his words.

Observing the reactions, Jiang Kenan realized he was misunderstood, "I didn’t mean that, just curious about the catalog, Jinyu, don’t overthink."

He hurriedly explained awkwardly, his face reddened, aware of his slip of the tongue.