Chapter 14: Reclaiming the Fief (2)

Gu Yi Chen received a letter from Chu Heng, which contained only a brief sentence: "The time has come, tighten the net." He gently rolled up the letter and stared deeply into the distance.

For two years, Gu Yi Chen had been living quietly at the Duke of Britain's estate in the UK, leading a peaceful yet dull life. Now, the time had come to take action.

Gu Yi Chen lightly stroked his sleeve, stood up, and gazed out the window, silently pondering his next move.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere within the Duke of Britain's estate was subtly shifting. A young retainer was offering advice to the Duke.

"Your Excellency, Gu Yi Chen is truly incompetent and weak; he cannot amount to anything," the retainer said, bowing with a low, clear voice. "But he could ruin your reputation. The world will say you failed in your mentorship. More importantly, while his aphasia has improved, he still does nothing of note and shows no ambition. If this continues, won't you have to support him for life?"

He paused, noticing the Duke's changing expression, then continued, "If he were to inherit the title of the Duke of An and establish his own household, the damage to his reputation would reflect on the Duke of An, not you."

The next day, the Duke of Britain, Shen Rui, went to the palace to see the Imperial Concubine, Shen Guifei.

Upon entering the palace, the Duke's steps were steady, but his mood was heavy. As he walked down the long palace corridor, attendants and guards lowered their heads in respect. At the door to the Imperial Concubine's chambers, he paused slightly, adjusted his attire, and pushed open the door, entering.

Shen Guifei sat at her desk, her brows furrowed as if deep in thought. Upon seeing her father enter, she looked up with a cool gaze, "Father, why are you in such a hurry?"

Shen Rui walked over to her side and spoke in a low voice, "I just returned from the estate regarding Gu Yi Chen."

Shen Guifei put away the documents she had been reading and raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Gu Yi Chen's aphasia is nearly healed. Although he remains weak and incompetent, he no longer poses any threat. If he stays at the Duke of Britain's estate, he may damage your reputation," Shen Rui whispered.

Upon hearing this, Shen Guifei's eyes flickered with a cold smile, and her lips curled slightly. "Gu Yi Chen is of the bloodline of the Duke of An. If he truly is weak and incapable, we can simply let him go. But what if he is pretending?"

"It can't be. It's already been two years. That's not enough time for such a long pretense," Shen Rui replied with a deep voice. "If we release him now, with his current reputation, no one will employ him. Let him inherit the title, and he can establish his own household. At that point, he will be a pawn, no longer our concern."

Shen Guifei nodded slightly, her eyes glinting with calculation. "If the Emperor agrees, we can also offer Gu Yi Chen a favor, to use him for our benefit later."

"I will see the Emperor and try to resolve this as quickly as possible," Shen Rui said, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Soon, the imperial edict was issued:

By the Grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

The son of the Duke of An, Gu Yi Chen, having reached the age of maturity, should inherit the title and continue the family's legacy.

Therefore, it is ordered:

1. Upon Gu Yi Chen's coming of age at eighteen, he shall be granted the title of Duke of An and inherit the ancestral estate.

2. The fief shall be fully returned, and he is to go there to govern and fulfill his duties.

3. The old residence in the capital shall be sealed and may not be used without permission.

Gu Yi Chen shall heed the imperial command, diligently govern, and not disappoint the Emperor's grace.

Thus it is decreed.

After the imperial edict was issued, Gu Yi Chen went to see the Duke of Britain, acting as though he were in a panic, pleading in broken sentences: "Please… don't expel me… I don't want to make achievements… I only wish to live in peace…"

He cried and fell to his knees, his behavior pitiable and comical, causing the surrounding servants to suppress their laughter, covering their mouths.

The Duke, seeing this, smirked inwardly but feigned helplessness, sighing, "Yi Chen, this is the Emperor's decree. It is beyond my control. You should prepare to go to your fief."

Gu Yi Chen, upon hearing this, cried even more sorrowfully.

When Gu Yi Chen left the capital, the Crown Prince secretly sent him a gift of a hundred taels of gold as a gesture of goodwill.

Princess Jing'an also sent valuable items she had kept, including untouched furniture, paintings, and the family genealogy, to be delivered to the fief when the imperial edict was issued.

Old Master Liu had already set off for the fief ahead of time.

Gu Yi Chen took only one servant and a carriage, leaving the capital alone, with no one to send him off. Wei Wu and other members of the intelligence network could only bid him a silent farewell from the shadows.

The people and court alike gossiped, saying that Gu Yi Chen had no accomplishments, no virtues, and would likely bring shame to the Duke of An.

In the end, the case of the Duke of An was left unfinalized, with the Emperor showing a relatively lenient attitude, allowing people to once again speak of the Duke's name.

After two years of patience and planning, Gu Yi Chen had finally reclaimed his rightful title.

During this time, he had endured humiliation and scorn, but it had not been significant to him.

Fortunately, his knowledge had increased, and he had secretly built up an intelligence network.

Now, every move in the capital was under his watch. Retreating to his fief was not only for recuperation but also to strengthen his power in preparation for future revenge and a return to the imperial court.

As Gu Yi Chen settled into his fief, the sense of isolation was palpable. His once placid life in the capital had now been replaced with the weight of responsibility and ambition. The fief, while quiet, was not without its advantages. It was a place to gather strength, to prepare for what was to come.

His thoughts often wandered back to the intrigues that had brought him here—those carefully laid plans, the manipulations, and the power struggles that had brought him to this turning point. He had endured two years of mockery, ridicule, and the sting of being underestimated. But now, the tables had turned. The time to act had come.

Gu Yi Chen was not the same man who had once been helpless and directionless. Over the past two years, he had carefully observed, learned, and, most importantly, built a network. It was through this network that he now knew the movements of his enemies, the shifting allegiances, and the undercurrents of power that flowed beneath the surface of the empire.

Though the fief was a place of exile, it also became a crucible for his transformation. The land was rich, and the people were loyal, yet it was not just the material wealth he sought to grow. His mind, once clouded by confusion and fear, had become sharp, calculating, and focused. It was no longer about avoiding responsibility; it was about preparing to take control of it when the moment was right.

And that moment was drawing nearer.

The whispers of dissent that had once been confined to the capital now reached the ears of those in the provinces. Some spoke of Gu Yi Chen as a fool who had been abandoned to the countryside, while others quietly speculated about his future rise. One thing was certain: the young man who had been cast aside by his own family was no longer the same. He had quietly built up a following, and his influence was beginning to grow.

Gu Yi Chen knew that his next steps would be critical. The fief, with all its challenges, was only a stepping stone. He needed to gain more allies, more resources, and, most importantly, more information. The road to vengeance and power was long, but he was prepared to walk it, step by calculated step.

His enemies believed him weak, incompetent, and easily manipulated. But that was exactly what he wanted them to think. The mask of helplessness that he had worn so well for so long had served its purpose. Now, it was time to reveal the man behind the mask—the true heir of the Duke of An, the one who would reclaim his family's honor and position.

As Gu Yi Chen sat in the quiet of his study, his mind raced with plans and contingencies. He had learned to wait for the right moment, and that moment was fast approaching. The empire was in turmoil, and he would be ready to strike when the time was right. The fief was just the beginning. His true goal lay beyond, in the heart of the empire, where power and ambition intertwined.

He had suffered, yes, but now the world would suffer at his hands.

In the shadows of the quiet fief, Gu Yi Chen began to lay the groundwork for his return. His eyes were set on the imperial court, where the true game of power would unfold. He had bided his time, and now the net was tightening around those who had once scorned him. The world had underestimated him, but soon, they would realize their mistake.

The Duke of An's bloodline would not be forgotten. And neither would the man who had been reborn in the crucible of exile.