Fourteen days had passed. After traveling across ten thousand miles, Gu Yuye once again stood face to face with the puppet substitute he had so carefully chosen for his son.
This moment marked the complete failure of the first step of his grand plan.
And it was precisely the kind of failure he had least wanted to see.
Gu Yuye's view of Gu Fangchen had changed completely. Gone was the old disdain and contempt, what filled him now was pure murderous intent and fury.
At this time, Gu Fangchen's attitude made no attempt to conceal the open hostility between them.
If this had been at the beginning, even knowing everything, Gu Fangchen would have, at most, complained of injustice in front of Ning Caiyong. He would not have torn off the mask of pretense so directly.
Simply as Gu Fangchen, for the sake of survival, he would have taken actions that seemed justified, small moves to subtly shift his position, to protect himself.
Because the right to speak the truth had never been in his hands.
If this were measured in game terms, Gu Fangchen's initial reputation score would have been negative one hundred, while Gu Yuye's stood at ten thousand.
And that was no exaggeration, back in the game, when Gu Yuye successfully brought Gu Yuandao into the political spotlight, his reputation in Great Wei had indeed reached ten thousand, on par with the Yong'an Emperor himself.
Gu Fangchen knew that if he dared speak the truth, Gu Yuye would dare kill him outright, without even bothering to follow the formalities.
After all, how could the Northern Garrison Prince possibly have deliberately switched his own son, letting him suffer among commoners for years? Such a claim was absurd, pure slander.
And from the mouth of someone like Gu Fangchen, a notorious wastrel, who would believe it?
Even if suspicion arose, Gu Yuye's reputation might drop from ten thousand to nine thousand nine hundred, barely a scratch.
Most people would even think Gu Yuye was acting righteously, eliminating a wicked son for the sake of the people.
Just like that unlucky fellow who died at the city gate earlier.
Within Huangtian City, at the feet of the Son of Heaven, Gu Yuye dared to kill at will, without fear of reprisal. In Goldscale City, he had been even more untouchable.
The first step of Gu Yuye's plan had always been to ensure that the original Gu Fangchen would die without a burial place.
A man of unclear origin, stripped of his title as heir, surrounded by monsters and schemers, how could such a one survive?
Once he lost the ground beneath his feet, he would fall endlessly, into the abyss, shattered beyond repair.
Between Gu Fangchen and Gu Yuye, it had always been a battle of survival, one must rise, and the other must fall. Until one was destroyed completely.
And Gu Fangchen had only one small patch of ground to stand on from the very beginning.
That small patch had been given to him by Ning Caiyong.
It was the place where his journey after transmigration began.
Now, outside the walls of Huangtian City, Gu Fangchen stood proudly, smiling recklessly as he faced Gu Yuye, who blocked his path.
"Impudent!"
Gu Yuye was stunned for a brief moment, then erupted in rage, his gaze freezing over.
"Unfilial wretch! Do you even know what you're saying?!"
To insult the Northern Garrison Prince in public, such a thing not even the Yong'an Emperor had ever done!
Gu Yuye's fury surged; his aura burst forth violently.
A deafening boom sounded as the ground around them caved in, and nearby onlookers turned pale, dropping to their knees under the crushing pressure.
Gu Fangchen shook his head, lifted his little finger to dig lazily at his ear, and said with a mocking grin,
"Gu Yuye, save your strength. If you want to scold your own son, do it privately. Out here in public, even if you're not embarrassed, I'm feeling secondhand shame for Gu Yuandao!"
With that, he openly admitted he was not Gu Yuye's blood son.
The truth Gu Yuye had always wanted to clarify, which Gu Fangchen had so often evaded, was now spoken aloud by Gu Fangchen himself, with a smile.
But now, Gu Fangchen no longer needed that pretense for survival.
How laughable that Gu Yuye still habitually called him "unfilial son."
"Sharp-tongued brat!"
Gu Yuye's expression darkened. He glared icily at him, then suddenly raised his hand.
This time, unlike at the White Horse Temple, he struck with full power, knowing the Martial Saint was nearby, but caring little for it.
Yet, at the very last moment, Gu Yuye's hand froze midair.
For Gu Fangchen had leisurely pulled a golden scroll from his sleeve, the imperial decree.
The very secret edict that should have been in Gu Yuandao's possession, meant to be read by him.
Now, it was in Gu Fangchen's hands.
Gu Yuye's movements halted instantly.
Just like that day before the White Horse Temple.
Only this time, it wasn't Ding Xingfeng who stopped him, it was Gu Yuye himself.
His fist hung inches from Gu Fangchen's face.
The force dispersed harmlessly, not even shaking the nearby buildings.
Such perfect control, proof that the great Northern Garrison Prince, the War Saint himself, had reached the pinnacle of mastery.
And yet, each fraction of restraint was like a slap against his own face.
His expression turned mottled with anger, blue, then purple, an exquisite display of humiliation.
Gu Fangchen lifted the decree, blew gently at nonexistent dust, and drawled,
"Oh my, I almost forgot, something as important as a decree should always be held up high, to show due respect to His Majesty."
"Especially since this secret edict concerns the very future of the Northern Garrison Prince's household."
"Wouldn't you agree, Gu Yuye?"
Gu Yuye glared daggers at the decree.
Success thrives in secrecy, failure in exposure.
Gu Yuandao was never supposed to reveal it before completing his task. How had Gu Fangchen obtained it?
No, how had he even known about it?!
No one present back then would have told him. The Yong'an Emperor hadn't sent anyone to the Sword Pavilion either.
So how had Gu Fangchen learned of the edict, and even seized it from Gu Yuandao?
Yet, no matter how unwilling Gu Yuye was to believe it, before an imperial edict, he had no choice but to bow to authority.
Gu Fangchen watched him and said with an amused look,
"Prince, with this decree in my hand, I am now its appointed messenger, in other words, I represent His Majesty himself."
He smiled kindly and continued,
"When ordinary folk see a decree, they kneel. When cultivators see a decree, they bow in respect."
"Here at the gates of Huangtian City, under Heaven's gaze, so many are watching."
Gu Fangchen leaned forward slightly, still smiling.
"Gu Yuye, surely you don't mean to show disrespect to the Emperor?"
Gu Yuye took one deep breath, then another, and finally lowered his hand with a flick of his sleeve.
Suppressing his fury, he said coldly,
"This king was granted the privilege of 'entering court without haste, being named without bowing.' Before a decree, I am not required to kneel. In this dynasty, only this king and the Confucian Sage hold this honor."
Then his face smoothed into calm indifference.
"Young fool, ignorant and brash. I walk upright and sit straight, how could there be any question of disrespect?"
Gu Fangchen thought to himself that Gu Yuye was indeed a much tougher opponent than Gu Yuandao, a far more cautious one since tasting defeat.
Even when provoked, he could still stop himself at the last moment.
If Gu Yuye's strike had so much as brushed him, Gu Fangchen could have used it as political ammunition, but no such luck.
He shrugged lightly.
"Then it seems I've misunderstood. Still, while the Prince need not bow, the road of Huangtian City must yield to the decree."
His smile didn't waver.
Gu Yuye stared at him for several seconds, then finally stepped aside without a word.
Gu Fangchen waved casually and strode forward, the convoy following behind.
Gu Lianqian bit her lip, hesitated to speak, but said nothing, only continued to support the unconscious Gu Yuandao.
Gu Yuye stood still, watching the carriages recede into the distance.
Within the lead carriage, Ning Caiyong never once stepped out.
It was the first time in nineteen years that Gu Yuye had yielded to Gu Fangchen.
But it would not be the last.
...
Inside the Hall of the Violet Extremity, the Yong'an Emperor sat behind layered curtains as he did at court, overlooking the many seats below.
But this was no formal assembly, today, according to His Majesty, was a "family banquet." The ministers were told to relax, to eat and drink freely.
To his right sat the Empress, Dugu Linluan.
She hailed from the Dugu clan of the Lingtai Province in Jiangnan, the foremost noble lineage among the Celestial Gates.
Wherever cultivators existed, such places were known as Celestial Gates.
The great sects were Celestial Gates; powerful clans of cultivators were Celestial Gates as well.
Sects were built on discipleship; clans were built on blood.
Within a sect, succession sometimes passed through family, but more often it followed skill and merit.
In clans, it was the blood itself that carried power.
The Dugu clan, for instance, was known for the rare gift of "double pupils."
The double pupil was both a divine ability and a sign of heavenly talent, those born with it were said to possess the potential for sainthood.
Though Empress Dugu Linluan was already past one hundred and sixty years of age, her complexion remained youthful, radiant as a woman of thirty. Her beauty was unmatched, her skin pale and luminous.
But her hair was pure white.
Some said it was because her innate talent had reached its limit, at her fifth-grade mastery, her lifespan was nearing its end.
Others said she chose to keep her hair white out of love for her son, the Crown Prince Xiao Sheng, so he would not feel pained to see both parents appear younger than him.
In the first row below sat the princes and princesses.
At the center sat the Crown Prince himself, Xiao Sheng.
He sat upright, eyes closed, though the fingers on his knee tapped restlessly, a sign of impatience.
Several seats around him remained empty.
The Third Prince was still cultivating at the Garan Temple, and the Eldest Princess was stationed in the North, quelling the remaining barbarian forces and securing the Autumn Peace Road.
Outside the hall, the eunuchs continued to announce arrivals. All who entered were high officials of at least third rank, royal kin, or titled nobles.
Also present were the Confucian cultivators still investigating the "Demonic Sect's impostor at the Qionglin Banquet."
Among them were Liu Xuan and Li Qingguang.
Many attendees murmured in curiosity, wondering why the Emperor had called this sudden "family banquet."
Li Qingguang sighed and muttered irritably,
"Senior brother, I told you, drinking leads to trouble! And look what a mess you've caused!"
"If you had gifted Father's sword to someone worthy, I'd understand. If that Northern Garrison Prince's heir had truly spoken those verses, I'd accept it."
"But you gave it to someone from the Demonic Sect! And you didn't even know who he really was!"
"Good thing Father didn't punish us..."
"Next time, no more drinking!"
"Fine, fine! I promise, I won't overindulge again!"
Liu Xuan swore with solemn face, though his eyes never left the wine jug before him.
The hall gradually filled with chatter again as the announcements dwindled.
But the Yong'an Emperor remained silent.
The air grew awkward; conversation faltered, and the hall cooled with unease.
Finally, Xiao Sheng rose, bowing respectfully.
"Father, most guests have arrived, shall we begin the feast?"
The Yong'an Emperor said mildly,
"How could it be complete? Do you not see the empty seats?"
Xiao Sheng blinked, turned his head, and when his eyes fell on the two vacant seats beside him, his pupils shrank.
Only two were missing.
Could they be returning now?
That was bad, very bad.
Both were his rivals, neither easy to handle, though long absent from court.
If they returned... it could only mean his father's intentions were shifting.
Xiao Sheng's fingers curled tightly.
At that moment, the eunuch's voice rang out from outside.
"The Heir of the Northern Garrison Prince's Mansion, !"
Gasps echoed through the hall; some officials even forgot decorum and rose to their feet.
The Heir of the Northern Garrison Prince's Mansion?!
The true and false heirs' dispute had raged for nearly a month, and now, one of them was back?
And that voice, it was the Emperor's own chief eunuch!
Which meant the Emperor himself had sanctioned the title!
But which one was it?
The crowd's hearts had barely settled when the eunuch's next cry rang out,
"The Eldest Princess-!"