Chaos Of Beauty

ꦼ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

CHAPTER 28: Raising The Water (Part One)

Lashes like fans gently flutters, eyes slowly opening, a pair of exceptionally bright orbs illuminating within the darkness, Gui Wan holds her body up, grabbing the clothes on the bed frame, dressing herself in a leisurely manner, lifting the curtains, she gets out of bed. Pushing open the windows with a "zhi" sound, the moonlight pours down, such brilliance of pale lighting floods into the room, using the faint moonlight, she attends to herself in front of the dressing mirror, single-handedly taking the ribbon, very casually combing up a men's bun, tying it up with the ribbon, after a little self-grooming, she pushes open the doors.

With the autumn air already thickening, frosty chills mixes with the moonlight as it seeps into one's heart, she follows the garden path, distantly gazing towards the lit up discussion chamber, heart slightly saddened. With a pause she arrives at the front courtyard, having just stepped inside, she sees eight guards on duty in front of the courtyard, vigilantly standing, faces expressionless. They too see Gui Wan at the same time, the two stood up front were somewhat dumbfounded, blankly staring not knowing what to do. Gui Wan coldly glances across them, eyes like a river in winter, the several people originally guards of the Prime Minister Estate, were instantly silenced, leaving Gui Wan to freely wander into the restricted area of the Prime Minister Estate alone.

The discussion chamber although brightly lit up, but is currently completely silent, the lighting inside shining out onto the courtyard where the winding path leads, vaguely carrying a few points of strangeness. Thinking all over the place, Gui Wan had already pa.s.sed by the little path, arriving at the doors of the discussion chamber, making guesses with uncertain thoughts, she gently pushes the doors, without thinking the door would actually open with a sound, exposing a little gap. Gui Wan was slightly surprised, not expecting such restricted area for secret discussions would actually be this easy, complicatedly thinking over it again, she thinks about the number of guards that could be hiding around the courtyard, this act of closing the doors is pretty much pointless, such ajar door, can still make herself appear honest and righteous, with no ulterior motives.

Carefully treading into the hall, outside the hall is empty without a single person, candlelight brightly greeting the eyes, to Gui Wan who has treaded all the way here in darkness, it really is rather blinding. She observes her surroundings, slowly walking up to the doors of the inner hall, until she was just one step away from the doors, did she finally hear faint voices. The clear and gentle voice is Lou Che, the unruly and prideful voice should be Prince Duan, also a smooth and deep voice-- could it be Prince of Nan Jun?

The few people discussing the recent big matters within the imperial court in seeming ridicule, some about elderly members relocating, some about the reforming movement, the three of them eloquent, just like great friends who have not met for years. Gui Wan is clearly aware, just a year ago, Lou Che and Prince Duan were still political opponents, to actually be sat together laughing and chatting right now, on one hand it comes down to the situation, on the other hand it is also with the means of benefitting from this joint force. Looks like within officialdom, there are no permanent friends, nor are there permanent enemies, this phrase truly is not wrong at all.

Lips carrying a bitter smile, she suddenly hears Prince Duan burst into hearty laughter, one can even imagine the crazy state he is in from the doors. Ears not missing a single word as she listens to him say: "Prime Minister Lou, that star pupil of yours truly does take after you quite a bit ah, the means he takes to and style of doing things is no less than you, right now he is but a loyal dog of the Emperor, not only viciously biting me one, it looks like he also wants to bite back at you the teacher who graced him now."

During the Changes of Feng Shan incident a year ago, Guan Xiu Wen condemned Prince Duan who was originally able to free himself from the blame, and even caused him to have his official post terminated, his home raided with goods confiscated, at the time he could only hold back the fire inside of him, not expecting that having spent so many years freely roaming the world of officialdom, he would actually fall under the hands of a kid yet to rid of his air of naivety. And after that, Guan Xiu Wen had been incorporated into the Emperor's faction of close ministers, with vicious ruthlessness, sparing no consideration, he takes to any means possible, causing everyone within the imperial court to avoid him, no one had ever thought that the young First Ranked Scholar from back then, who was as clear as water would actually become this terrifying.