Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C350. Haoyue Comes to the Capital.

Chapter 350: Haoyue Comes to the Capital.

Finally, with the Emperor's begrudging permission, Gu Yanxi emerged from the stifling palace confines post-curfew, not to head home for a well-earned rest, but to march straight to the Seven Stars Bureau. His steps carried purpose, but his patience was visibly hanging by a thread.

It was at this precise moment—how conveniently timed—that Chen Qing seized the opportunity to deliver his report. "Prince, Haoyue has arrived in the capital," he declared, as if the news wouldn’t spark immediate ire.

Gu Yanxi froze mid-step, slowly pivoting to face his subordinate with a sharp glare that spoke volumes of his displeasure. "And what, pray tell, were you doing instead of keeping an eye on her?" he asked, his voice cold enough to freeze over hell itself.

"I brought her here," Chen Qing replied, his tone as neutral as one could muster when confessing to dropping a loaded crossbow at your superior’s feet.

Gu Yanxi, however, wasn't the type to fly off the handle. No, his position within the Seven Stars Bureau and the Emperor’s good graces were secured through a dangerous mix of cunning and restraint. He merely gestured for Chen Qing to follow him into the bureau’s confines.

"Speak," he commanded, his tone sharp but unhurried—a knife held just shy of the throat.

"Yes." Chen Qing knew best how much of a threat Haoyue posed, so he didn't dare to hide anything. "Following your orders to Yuzhou, I intended to extract more information from her. But this time, she wouldn’t play along. She openly declared her intent to come to the capital. If I tried to stop her, she made it clear I’d bear the consequences. Whether it was bluff or bravado, I wasn’t willing to take the gamble. She calls herself a prophet, after all, and prophets don’t wander without some kind of safety net. I had no choice but to bring her here and house her under my supervision."

Gu Yanxi nodded slowly, a faint smirk curling at the edge of his lips—a predator’s patience. "She’s not to be eliminated just yet. Keep her close, but on a tight leash. What’s her demeanor been like?"

"Cooperative so far. No outrageous demands," Chen Qing replied, though his confidence wavered under the weight of Gu Yanxi’s gaze.

"Good. Now listen carefully," Gu Yanxi said, leaning back against the high table with a calculated air of menace. "You will avoid frequent contact with her. The leader of the Seven Stars Bureau does not have the luxury of orbiting around one woman’s whims. If you keep running back to her, you’ll tip your hand, and she’ll use that against us. Don’t underestimate Haoyue—anyone bold enough to challenge me has claws sharper than they let on. She is not an easy person to deal with."

Chen Qing bowed his head, his voice tight with understanding. "Yes, I understand."

Shifting gears without missing a beat, Gu Yanxi asked, "How’s the southern situation? Any significant casualties?"

Chen Qing moved to the high table, retrieving an opened secret letter and presenting it to his superior. Pouring tea with practiced ease, he added, "I’ve dispatched people to verify the reports. If they’re accurate, the credit goes to Eldest Miss Hua."

Gu Yanxi took the letter, his expression unreadable as he scanned its contents. Behind his calm exterior, the wheels of strategy turned—because in his world, every piece on the board, no matter how insignificant, had its place in the game.

He read the letter attentively and his gaze softened. Just as they had decided before, they had diverted some of the flood pressure by clearing several river channels and sacrificing the county of Lingzhou.

They had managed to avoid a major flood disaster that hadn't occurred in decades. Although the victims were still suffering from lack of food and clothing, and fertile land was destroyed, the number of deaths was only over a hundred, smaller than the losses from last year's flood disaster. This was already a great stroke of luck.