Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 443 - 279: Return to Tianxiang Pavilion

Hu Maoshen took a carriage, discreetly entering through the back door of the Tianxiang Pavilion.

Gu Chengyu sought him out, which surprised him greatly. Although he had some connection with Gu Chengyu from rescuing Hui An last time, they hadn’t met face-to-face.

Thinking about what happened in court today, he began to understand why Gu Chengyu had come to see him.

It’s truly a pity for Wan Xue Nian and Song Shuqing, especially with the incriminating evidence found at the Wan Mansion. Of course, he knew it was the Eldest Prince framing them, yet he had no proof!

He had investigated the Eldest Prince for two years without finding a single piece of evidence. Last time, Hui An acted on his own, risking capture to bring back a small booklet, which turned out to be fake. They chased that false list for months.

Gu Chengyu hurriedly took a carriage to Tianxiang Pavilion. He openly entered through the front door, making Madam Hua smile uncontrollably with joy.

Another dandy ensnared by her Xi Yan, especially one who was not lacking in Silver.

"Oh! Young Master Gu, what wind has blown you here today? It’s been many days since I’ve seen you,"

Madam Hua, still shaking her fan and sashaying with her plump waist, hurriedly approached Gu Chengyu.

Gu Chengyu twitched his mouth; he had just been here a few days ago and had been fleeced of more than six hundred taels of silver. Madam Hua truly had a short memory, speaking as if he frequented the place.

"The last time I heard Miss Xi Yan’s zither, I lost all appetite for tea and meals once I returned. I wanted to come today to discuss it with her; is Miss Xi Yan available?"

Madam Hua feigned difficulty, saying, "Well, you know, Miss Xi Yan usually doesn’t see guests..."

Before Madam Hua could finish, Gu Chengyu hurriedly pulled out a hundred taels of silver from his bosom and stuffed it into her hand.

Seeing the silver note, Madam Hua’s smile never left her face.

Seizing the opportunity, Gu Chengyu said, "Please, Madam Hua, make an exception. I’ll only take up an hour of Miss Xi Yan’s time, then I’ll leave after hearing her play!"

Naturally, Madam Hua wouldn’t turn down the silver in hand, "See, Young Master Gu, if Miss Xi Yan knew you were here, imagine how delighted she would be! She often tells me that you’re her confidant!"

Madam Hua wasn’t lying about that. After Gu Chengyu left last time, the prostitute told Madam Hua about Xi Yan’s growing fondness for him.

Madam Hua had warned Xi Yan, who merely replied that confidants were hard to find, it was nothing more than mutual appreciation and admiration!

Madam Hua called over a prostitute and whispered a few words in his ear before smiling and having him lead Gu Chengyu to Xi Yan’s courtyard.

Gu Chengyu didn’t need to guess; it was merely to keep an eye on them, to prevent him from doing anything inappropriate!

Gu Chengyu followed the prostitute into Xi Yan’s small courtyard, where she stood waiting at the main house. Seeing him arrive, she hurried over to greet him.

"Miss Xi Yan has met Mr. Gu!" Xi Yan nodded to Gu Chengyu and cast a glance at the prostitute standing nearby.

Although Hu Maoqing had never been to this courtyard, it wasn’t hard to enter without revealing his identity. The back door was purposely meant for receiving such court officials; otherwise, them swaggering through the front door would be handing the officials leverage, wouldn’t it?

To say that officials don’t have dalliances with women is nonsense. Some officials have this particular fondness, and there are several courtyards in the back meant specifically for entertaining these court officials.

Xi Yan sent the prostitute away, but he refused, prompting Gu Chengyu to pull out ten taels of silver from his sleeve and hand it over. He also promised he only wanted to listen to the music, not engage in anything inappropriate.

Seeing the silver, of course, the prostitute didn’t care much, as long as Xi Yan’s purity remained, it wouldn’t matter if he wasn’t present. A woman’s purity is marked with guardian sand; once broken, the mark would be gone.

Seeing the prostitute walk away and settling in a distant pavilion, Gu Chengyu hastily thanked Xi Yan.

"I must thank you, Miss, once again! Should you need my help in the future, I will not hesitate!"

Gu Chengyu was sincerely grateful; they had only met once, and it wouldn’t be unexpected if she refused to help him.

"There’s no need for formality, Sir. You only have an hour; best go quickly!"

Xi Yan urged Gu Chengyu; after all, she had heard of the cheating case in the imperial examination, and his secretive meeting might be related to it.

In matters of life and death, she had only lent a small help, hardly worth mentioning.

Gu Chengyu nodded and headed towards a courtyard in the back.

As soon as he entered, he saw Hui An, who nodded back at him and led him to the main house.

"My lord! Mr. Gu is here!"

"Mr. Hu! I hope you’re well!" Gu Chengyu entered the main house and saw Hu Maoshen dressed in ordinary clothes, a stark contrast to their last meeting, looking extremely elegant.

"Mr. Gu, it’s been so long since we parted on the boat, and you had already guessed that I was a court official back then, hadn’t you?"

Hu Maoshen admired Gu Chengyu very much; not only was he skilled in both literature and martial arts, but he was also cautious and calculating, very well-suited for officialdom.

"Mr. Hu! I arranged to meet you here today; surely you have guessed my purpose?" Gu Chengyu wasn’t here to chit-chat, getting straight to the point.

Hu Maoshen maintained a light smile; last time, he thought Gu Chengyu could remain calm, but now that his life was on the line, even he couldn’t help it. He must be anxious, right?

"Mr. Gu! Since you’re so straightforward, I won’t beat around the bush either. In this exam cheating case, I’m powerless; you may not know that after the morning court, the impeachments against the Third Prince, Lord Wan, and Mr. Song have piled up on the Emperor’s desk. The Emperor is taking this seriously, and no one dares to challenge the authority at this juncture."

Hu Maoshen knew that Gu Chengyu had saved Hui An before and lamented losing such a talent like him.

But he was truly powerless; when the exam cheating case ends, even if it ends with the Eldest Prince shifting the blame, he could only suffer in silence.

The Eldest Prince framed the Third Prince’s faction for the bandit case, leaving himself untouched. After two years of investigation, Hu Maoshen not only gained nothing but also faced criticism from the Emperor, while the Eldest Prince remained unharmed.

He wasn’t reconciled either, but what could he do? The Eldest Prince was still a Prince; without concrete evidence, he dared not report it to the Emperor. Getting accused of slandering the Prince could mean losing not just his official’s hat but much more.

Gu Chengyu smiled slightly, "Others may not dare, but you, Mr. Hu, do! I’m not here to seek a life-saving favor but to propose a deal."

Hu Maoshen felt a bit awkward, counting the boat incident, he had saved both Gu Chengyu and Hui An’s lives. However, he was curious about what deal Gu Chengyu had to discuss.

"Oh? Mr. Gu, pray tell!"

Gu Chengyu took out a confession from his bosom and placed it in front of Hu Maoshen.

"Please have a look, my lord!"