Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 610 - 446 Troubling Matters

The Emperor’s deadline is two days, not including today, so the document must be presented to the Emperor the day after tomorrow, leaving Gu Chengyu with limited time.

The next day, Gu Chengyu got up early, washed, and tucked the completed document into his robe, planning to visit his teacher.

"You haven’t been here for several days. Has the work at the Hanlin Academy been going smoothly?"

Liang Zhirui looked at Gu Chengyu, who was sitting across from him drinking tea, and asked with a smile.

In fact, Liang Zhirui was not worried about whether Gu Chengyu would face difficulties at the Hanlin Academy.

This young student is very clever, with considerable skills. Even if he suffers a bit initially, he will soon adapt comfortably.

"Thank you for your concern, teacher. The affairs at Hanlin Academy are busy, and they don’t have the energy to trouble a student."

Gu Chengyu suddenly thought of Yin Kun, who had already set off for Yingnan Mansion, and asked, "I wonder when Senior Brother will return from his trip to Yingnan Mansion."

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhirui suddenly thought of something and immediately frowned.

"Hmph! Xia Qing is ruthless; he really dared to act. I don’t believe his clansmen didn’t give him benefits, likely quite a lot! As soon as he had trouble, he turned around and sold them. However, Xia Zhou deserved this."

Liang Zhirui snorted coldly, as he loathed corrupt officials the most.

Before Yin Kun left, he discussed it with Zhirui, who was furious at the time, and even now he remained angry.

If he was still in court, he would impeach Xia Qing every day without fail.

"However, this time he seems willing to compromise, likely because the Emperor pressed him hard. He seems to have some true feelings for that disciple, even though part of his motive is to ease his relationship with the Emperor. The disciple’s matter holds significant weight."

Liang Zhirui was a little surprised by Xia Qing’s protection of his disciple this time.

He is usually indifferent and detached from matters that do not concern him.

He likely harbors no real loyalty to the officials who rely on him and is ruthless in using them as shields.

Gu Chengyu nodded in agreement, "Indeed! If it weren’t for trying to secure that official position for Min Feng, he wouldn’t be so passive."

Speaking of this matter, Liang Zhirui was quite satisfied with how Gu Chengyu handled it.

"You handled it well, prepared as you were, otherwise you would have been trapped by them. In the future, you need to be even more cautious in your affairs."

Gu Chengyu had written a letter about this matter to him earlier, feeling that as his teacher, certain less confidential matters should naturally be shared with him.

Otherwise, if the teacher heard it from other sources later, it might harm their mentor-student relationship.

Moreover, since Xia Qing is the teacher’s old rival, it would certainly make the teacher feel pleased if Xia Qing suffered a setback.

"You handled it well afterwards too, but such matters shouldn’t be publicized widely. Outsiders will know when they should. If you speak out, you may appear petty. Besides, it involves a deal between the Emperor and Xia Qing, making it unlikely the Emperor would appreciate you causing a stir about the National Treasury’s emptiness."

Liang Zhirui considered it more thoroughly than Gu Chengyu; although the lack of funds in the National Treasury is known throughout the court.

If Gu Chengyu mentioned it, it would lead to further exposure, and the Emperor’s pressure on Xia Qing would be known by all, embarrassing the Emperor.

The court is never short of smart people; some officials would understand after some deduction, and Gu Chengyu would end up appearing as a villain.

The main reason is everyone knows Xia Qing’s love for Silver Coin and would never believe he would willingly sacrifice his family interests for justice.

After hearing his teacher’s words, Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but marvel, thinking the older, the wiser.

He obviously understood his teacher’s meaning: the other officials will surely know about it, only the timing is uncertain, but it mustn’t be revealed by him.

As for how others come to know, be it through speculation or inquiry, it ultimately has nothing to do with him.

"Teacher, should Senior Brother’s visit to Yingnan Mansion go smoothly? Your second son-in-law is an Assistant Prefect there, isn’t he? Will this matter involve him?"

Gu Chengyu was implying whether the teacher had sent word to his second son-in-law.

To prevent Yan Huanong from being implicated, which would be awkward if discovered by his Senior Brother?

Even if his Senior Brother intended to cover it up, it would nonetheless bring many complications, wouldn’t it?

The Emperor had already given the opportunity, so finding the most conspicuous individuals is enough; there is no need for a large-scale operation.

Liang Zhirui, highly experienced, understood Gu Chengyu’s implication immediately.

"I sent him a letter long ago. You! I wonder if your political shrewdness was born with you."

Liang Zhirui sighed, feeling this student seemed naturally adept at maneuvering within power dynamics.

Sometimes, even he had to admire his sensitivity to political affairs.

Gu Chengyu touched his nose, embarrassed, "I’m pure and simple."

This remark made Liang Zhirui roll his eyes dramatically, "Not to mention, your thick skin seems inherent too."

Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but laugh. Ever since arriving in the Capital, his teacher had not been in high spirits.

What could trouble the teacher? It was probably Miss Yao’s marriage.

During this time, Liang Zhirui had not been idle, frequently contacting families close to him. However, Gu Chengyu heard from Yin Kun that the situation did not look optimistic.

He wasn’t surprised; out of sight, out of mind. The teacher had been away from court for years, and truly elite families wouldn’t be keen on marrying off the former Grand Secretary’s granddaughter.

Yao Mengxian indeed had a high status, being the legitimate daughter of the Duke Mansion’s eldest branch, and her father was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

In the past, aristocratic families would have flattened the Duke Mansion’s threshold.

Unfortunately, Yao Mengxian’s situation was quite awkward, being distant from her grandmother, with neither her grandfather nor father showing her much attention.

Her stepmother need not be mentioned. It would be an understatement to say that she disfavored her; scheming against her was frequent.

One might speculate whether that stepmother was plotting to hastily marry Yao Mengxian off, though the Old Duke and the Young Master would certainly disagree.

After all, marrying off a legitimate daughter still held value for family alliances, but behind the façade of the impressive families lay many rotten cores.

The men of the Duke Mansion wouldn’t care if the married life was pleasant; they were concerned solely with reaping sufficient benefits.

In this ancient era, countless women seemingly married into powerful families with endless glory, but what kind of husbands did they actually have?

Besides wanton sons, some husbands harbored unspeakable addictions or hidden illnesses, ruining the women’s lives.

Someone like Yao Mengxian, whose prospects were neither too high nor too low, naturally troubled the teacher. But it was someone else’s family affair, so Gu Chengyu wisely refrained from commenting.

"I have one more matter to consult you about, teacher."