Chapter 80: Like Master, Like Servant Part 1

Pei Jingyi leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching Xie Shaoling depart. The young scholar had arrived with eyes rimmed red with tears but left with his head held high, radiating renewed ambition. Pei Jingyi couldn’t help but arch an eyebrow—Gu Huaiyu truly was a wicked man.

He cast a sidelong glance into the study. The Chancellor remained seated at his desk, leafing through secret reports without even lifting his head. Yet, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, Gu Huaiyu suddenly spoke:

“General Pei, what is the penalty for slandering the Prime Minister’s reputation?”

Pei Jingyi didn’t bother entering. He simply stared at him from the threshold. “The Chancellor told the entire court that I was impotent. I was merely proving my innocence.”

He paused, a smirk dancing on his lips. “Now the whole capital knows that it isn’t that I can’t perform—it’s just that I only get hard for the Lord Chancellor.”

Gu Huaiyu looked up, his gaze narrowing. He let out a cold snort. “Twisted logic and fallacies.”

But what Pei Jingyi had said wasn’t a fallacy; it was an objective fact.

He didn’t look up again, but beneath his high brow, his deep eyes trailed over Gu Huaiyu with a gaze so palpable it felt like a physical touch. Who knew what thoughts were swirling in his head?

Just then, footsteps approached from the hall.

Shen Jun arrived, his official robes impeccably neat. Upon receiving permission, he pushed the door open and entered, casually shutting the door behind him and locking the nuisance out.

He bowed deeply, his wide sleeves falling with an elegant grace. “This official greets the Lord Chancellor.”

“Rise.” Gu Huaiyu handed him a secret report directly. “Look at this.”

Shen Jun took it with both hands. His eyes scanned the paper rapidly, and in an instant, several layers of calculation flickered through his gaze. He leaned down and whispered, “How does the Chancellor view this?”

Gu Huaiyu tapped his temple with a finger, his tone frank. “It’s a difficult situation.”

Shen Jun caught his meaning and smiled thinly. “These returning officials… who can guarantee there are no Eastern Liao moles among them? If we place them in vital positions, we risk nursing a tiger that will eventually devour us.”

“But if we truly abandon them, how will the commoners see it?” Gu Huaiyu countered. “If they see their kin return only to be shunned and unemployed, the people will lose heart when Great Chen eventually moves to reclaim the Three Provinces and Nine Commanderies.”

A glint of light flickered in his eyes. “It would be better to use the excuse of ‘caring for meritorious subjects.’ We shall pay their stipends but withhold actual authority. With a three-year term as a buffer, we can slowly vet them.”

Having finished, he placed the report back on the desk. “As for the Annual Brides… these women sought peace for Great Chen, yet they return carrying the blood of Eastern Liao. They will surely be plagued by rumors and slander.”

“If we want them to truly integrate, we must have the leaders of the Pure Stream faction set an example. We will arrange grand, public marriages for them. This will not only soothe the populace but also provide an opportunity to reel in the Pure Stream scholars.”

Shen Jun lowered his head, his voice deferential. “Does the Chancellor approve?”

Gu Huaiyu was quite satisfied with this plan. He gave a slight nod. “Proceed as you suggested.”

Normally, this was the point where Shen Jun would excuse himself. At most, he would offer a few more polite platitudes.

But this time, Shen Jun’s gaze remained fixed on his face. He stared unblinkingly, his chest rising and falling slightly as if he were bracing himself for something.

Gu Huaiyu turned his head to look at him, putting on the gracious smile of a lord appreciating his subordinate. “Is there something else?”

Shen Jun’s eyes dropped for a moment before lifting again. His expression was subtle and complex, a thousand emotions swirling within. “This official has always remembered the Chancellor’s mentorship and trust. Without the Chancellor, I would not be where I am today.”

Gu Huaiyu’s heart skipped a beat. What is wrong with everyone today? Are they lining up to pour their hearts out to me?

Shen Jun leaned even lower, closing the distance between them by a few inches. “When I was young, I aspired to be a good official, to take the world’s burdens as my own and save the empire from its collapse.”

Gu Huaiyu was puzzled. He raised an eyebrow, signaling for the man to stop rambling and get to the point.

The corners of Shen Jun’s mouth curved slightly, his words becoming soft and earnest. “But only after entering officialdom did I realize the world is dark. Ambitions are hard to realize. To be a good official—or even just to maintain one’s integrity—is harder than reaching the heavens.”

“If not for the Chancellor—” He finally reached the point, something burning fiercely in his eyes. “I would likely be like those muddled souls, drifting through life, no longer believing that justice exists in this world.”

Gu Huaiyu reached out and patted his shoulder, teasing him, “Does this Prime Minister not already know your heart? Do you really need to reaffirm your loyalty?”

Shen Jun’s expression stiffened for a moment before a faint smile returned. “Since childhood, I have never believed in gods. If there were gods, why would the world be full of such injustice?”

“But now, I believe. I believe there is a divinity in this world. Does the Chancellor know why?”

Gu Huaiyu didn’t quite see the connection. He frowned. “Hmm? Why?”

Shen Jun suddenly leaned in close, his face nearly brushing against Gu Huaiyu’s pale cheek. His breath was suppressed and heavy, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Because that divinity is right before my eyes.”

Gu Huaiyu was briefly startled by the movement. He leaned back slowly, letting out a soft laugh. “Your flattery has reached a level of pure mastery, Minister Shen.”

Shen Jun didn’t press forward further, but his words became even more direct. “The Chancellor props up the state and turns the tide of ruin. Are you not the savior-god of my heart?”

Gu Huaiyu stopped demurring. He nodded slightly, accepting the compliment.

“But if the Chancellor truly is a god…”

Shen Jun’s voice was very soft, yet every word was crystal clear. “Then I am the world’s most audacious blasphemer.”

Silence fell over the room instantly.

Gu Huaiyu finally sensed that something was wrong. His brow furrowed.

But before he could stop him, Shen Jun’s blasphemy spilled out: “If the Chancellor likes men, why won’t you look at me?”

“…”

You too?!

The calm expression on Gu Huaiyu’s face shattered instantly. He froze, his mind buzzing with a single thought: Why is it me again?

In Great Chen, those who preferred the company of men were a small minority. How was it that they were all gathered around him?

Moreover, why was it always his most trusted confidant, his sharpest blade, or his most promising protégé?