Chapter 313: The Father‑Son Bond Has Been Severed

Gu Kang was instantly stunned there; he hadn't expected to be summoned into the palace to appear before the emperor.

Gu Kang didn't know what merit or ability he possessed to have caught Emperor Longqing's eye.

He even subconsciously thought of his elder sister—could she have gotten into trouble again?

But that didn't fit; although his relationship with his sister had warmed, to outsiders the siblings still seemed at odds.

If something had to involve him, could it be Mr. Wen's affair?

The royal guards gave Gu Kang no time to think, gripping his arm and shoving him into a carriage dispatched from the palace.

After a short while the carriage stopped outside East Sima Gate, and a few inner attendants stepped out to greet him.

Wang Gonggong lifted his eyes, scrutinizing Gu Kang for a few glances, his pupils flashing slightly.

"Please, Young Master Gu, follow us."

Wang Gonggong was a first‑rate inner attendant of Emperor Longqing, and Gu Kang now was a commoner abandoned by his own clan.

He became extra cautious before Wang Gonggong, bowing and then carefully staying behind him.

Gu Kang had just been pushed to the ground by Wang Zheng; he lifted his sleeve to wipe the grime from his face, then smoothed his sleeve.

To appear before the emperor, he could not be so disheveled.

At this moment Wang Gonggong's expression turned a bit surprised; he had expected the Gu family's prodigal son to be frivolous, but his composure was unexpectedly steady, earning admiration.

Wang Gonggong led Gu Kang through a side corridor to Emperor Longqing's Yangxin Hall.

Outside Yangxin Hall, several court officials were already standing; they had just been in the hall for an audience and now stepped out, led by the current Prime Minister Gu Shijie.

Gu Shijie lifted his eyes to look at his son Gu Kang before him, his complexion shifting slightly, a hint of anger appearing.

"What are you doing here? The imperial palace interior is not a place for you to act rashly."

Gu Shijie had become a nervous rabbit; his third son had been thrown into a death cell for plotting against Mr. Wen.

He later died in the cell—thankfully there—because if he had been stripped of his robes before the world, he would have faced 3,600 cuts of lingchi.

The lingchi was not for Gu Huai, but for Gu Shijie's reputation.

He paid such a heavy price to get Emperor Longqing to spare him, yet before he could recover, Gu Kang entered the palace again.

His complexion changed dramatically, his mind a tangled mess, and he stepped forward, shouting a harsh rebuke.

Gu Kang knit his brows but ignored Gu Shijie's aggressive stance, stepping back and bowing, "Lord Gu, I hope you are well."

The moment Gu Kang said 'Lord Gu', Gu Shijie's loud scolding abruptly halted.

Gu Shijie looked at the tall, scar‑faced youth before him in disbelief.

The boy exuded a calm, even chilling aura; for a moment Gu Shijie was dazed—was this his second son?

It felt as if he had completely become another person.

Back then, to rid the Gu family of his second son's detrimental influence, he erased Gu Kang's name from the family genealogy and expelled the troublesome boy from the Gu household.

Since then he had never seen Gu Kang again, yet unexpectedly the father and son met once more, inside the palace interior.

Moreover, the youth before him seemed reborn, entirely different, leaving Gu Shijie at a loss for how to respond.

Yet Gu Kang's 'Lord Gu' also warned Gu Shijie that their father‑son bond had long been severed; what right did he have to publicly rebuke Gu Kang?

The rebuke fell silent; the night stretched on awkwardly as they stood there, and Wang Gonggong stepped forward with a smile, "Shangshu, Young Master Gu is the emperor's personally summoned guest; we must go in to report, so I won't accompany you."

Wang Gonggong's imposing figure finally snapped Gu Shijie back to reality, his surprised look deepening; what does it mean that the emperor's personally selected 'Gu Kang, that brat' is so good at partying, drinking and gambling—referring to the driver, that's courting death.

Now he didn't know whether the emperor's summons of Gu Kang was good or bad; his mind flickered and he stepped back, avoiding Gu Kang as if shunning a plague.

If the emperor were to summon this brat and vent his anger on him, Gu Shijie would be wise to cut all ties with this son.

Gu Kang watched his father avoid him like one shunning a ghost, fearing to be burned.

He couldn't help but mock himself inwardly, yet felt boundless anger.

No wonder Mr. Wen said Southern Qi's corrupt policies had piled up over the years; the current situation was already irredeemable.

To reform the corruption, someone must be willing to lay everything on the line, risking all wealth and life for the reforms to show any improvement.

The current emperor is dim‑witted and incompetent; the eight great families flaunt their power, dominating court and state.

Even the Prime Minister before him, a civil‑service graduate favored by the emperor, is a slimy, muddling character.

For the first time Gu Kang felt overwhelming contempt and ridicule toward his father; such an unfit official will sooner or later drag Southern Qi into the abyss.

Gu Kang gave him a greeting, his eyes no longer holding any fatherly regard, and followed Wang Gonggong to the entrance of Yangxin Hall.

Wang Gonggong went inside to report, while Gu Kang stood silently outside the hall.

The spring chill wind still bit, flapping his thin robe into a precarious sway.

Wang Gonggong emerged from Yangxin Hall, glanced at the standing Gu Kang and smiled lightly, "Second Lord Gu, please."

Gu Kang didn't notice the attendant's inconsistent attitude, and felt a slight unease.

When he was young he had accompanied his father to a few palace banquets; because they weren't from the eight great families, their seats were placed far away, so Gu Kang had to stay by his father's side and crane his neck to glimpse Emperor Longqing on the main throne.

Now, for the first time he faced the emperor without his father's leash, a feeling oddly fresh.

Gu Kang ignored the rest, followed Wang Gonggong, and stepped into Yangxin Hall.

As soon as he entered, Gu Kang furrowed his brows; fragrant mist swirled in the hall, the scent soothing—did the emperor suffer from insomnia?

In recent years Emperor Longqing had indulged in women, wine and beasts, draining his body; now aged, he grew increasingly frail, even developing sleeplessness, forcing him to burn calming incense to soothe his restless mind.

He dared not look up; he approached Emperor Longqing, fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowed and shouted three "Long live the emperor!"

Gu Kang's expression remained steady and solemn, his forehead pressed against the cold floor.

It seemed the emperor examined him for a long while before his icy voice reached Gu Kang's ears.

"Is this policy essay yours?" Emperor Longqing's voice was slightly hoarse, uncomfortable to hear.

Meanwhile, Wang Gonggong hurriedly took the document the emperor handed over and placed it before Gu Kang.

Gu Kang lifted his head slightly to look at the paper Wang Gonggong offered, and his heart jolted—wasn't this the Ten Reform Strategies he had penned for this Spring Court?

No wonder this Spring Court yielded no ranking; his article must have brought him huge trouble.