Scum Gong Walks the Career Line in the Crematorium

Lin Hanchuan was taken aback; he had thought too simplistically.

If Gu Shi really changed his surname to Zhao and returned to the imperial family, it would indeed be suicidal.

Gu Shi’s birth was far from auspicious, and his identity was awkward. After returning to the imperial family, he would likely face persecution from conservative officials. If someone with ulterior motives wanted to use him, he would become a sharp knife stabbing at Zhao Yuan and ultimately destroy himself.

Thinking about Gu Shi’s fate in the original story, Lin Hanchuan’s eyes turned cold. “I have thought too simplistically.”

Gu Shi seemed a bit confused for a moment and asked, “What did you think too simplistically?”

“Currently, the situation in the capital is tense. You can’t return openly…” Lin Hanchuan had just started to speak, but he saw Gu Shi’s expression darken quite a bit. He paused and changed the topic, “Rest assured, when the time is right, you will be able to return openly.”

Hearing this, Gu Shi, who had been sulking, perked up slightly. “How long will that take?”

Gu Shi liked both the Mansion in Nanshan and the Regent’s Residence in the Capital. He especially liked the owner of these two mansions.

During this time, Gu Shi always felt like he was in a dream. He had everything he wanted and had someone who treated him the best. He was eager to have a legitimate identity so that he could keep this beautiful dream forever.

“Not too long,” Lin Hanchuan promised.

After being rejected, Gu Shi seemed a bit down, but then he smiled and extended his little finger, “Deal?”

“Deal,” Lin Hanchuan chuckled, hooking his little finger with Gu Shi’s.

The two held their little fingers together and shook them back and forth, then their thumbs pressed against each other.

With such a simple gesture, Gu Shi beamed, and Lin Hanchuan’s heart softened even more, feeling that he was both pitiful and adorable.

As children of the late Emperor Zhao Jun, the young emperor Zhao Yuan was raised in the imperial palace, pampered and provided for, surrounded by all kinds of luxuries. The tutor who taught him was the most knowledgeable scholar in the Sui Kingdom. His biggest setback was the early demise of his father, and at the age of fifteen, he had to ascend the throne prematurely and become the ruler of this world.

On the other hand, Gu Shi grew up in the brothel and only saw the courtesans and various patrons. After his mother’s death, even food and shelter became problems for him. In his early teens, he had to support himself. He couldn’t read a single word and couldn’t even write his own name.

The contrast between the two made Gu Shi appear even more pitiful.

With a compensatory mindset hidden within him, if Gu Shi wanted something, Lin Hanchuan would immediately buy it for him without any hesitation, until both of their hands were full, and there was no space for anything else.

When they returned to the mansion, the steward was surprised to see them and almost thought that the Regent intended to become a wandering merchant.

“Your Highness, you shouldn’t buy him so many things,” the steward didn’t know the true situation and assumed that the Regent’s heart was kind, taking in a pitiful child. “Children from poor families like this one can easily lose their minds when they suddenly become wealthy.”

Raising a child is not an easy task. Buying so many toys for the child may bring immediate joy, but it could also spoil the child. The steward also liked Gu Shi very much, but he was more loyal to the Regent and his tone carried some disapproval.

“He won’t,” Lin Hanchuan looked at the clay figurine in his hand, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Seeing Lin Hanchuan’s expression, the steward didn’t say anything more. As a servant, he had already overstepped his boundaries with his previous words. If he continued, it would be disrespectful and improper.

Although he said otherwise, the steward actually didn’t fully agree with the Regent’s excessive indulgence of the child. Human hearts are greedy, and the more you pamper someone, the less they may appreciate it.

Back in his room, Gu Shi was unaware of the steward’s concerns. He carefully arranged all the toys one by one, looking at these valuable novelties, his eyes shimmered with excitement.

He lovingly touched one toy after another, and each one delighted him. In the end, he picked up an inconspicuous grasshopper made of grass and gently caressed its body with his fingertips. His eyes and brows curved like crescent moons as he smiled.

This grasshopper was handcrafted by the regent himself and, in Gu Shi’s heart, was more precious than any other fancy toy.

“Little grasshopper, oh little grasshopper, I hope the regent will be successful,” Gu Shi held the grasshopper, closed his eyes solemnly, and made a devout wish, “healthy, long life, safe and happy… and that I can return to my ancestors soon.”

Gu Shi was eager to obtain a formal identity.

The next day, after Lin Hanchuan finished handling government affairs, he was about to leave the imperial palace when he learned that the young emperor, Zhao Yuan, was sick.

“Your Highness, His Majesty’s high fever has not subsided, and he’s in a state of confusion,” a trusted little eunuch stopped Lin Hanchuan from leaving and pleaded softly.

After realizing the difficulty of Gu Shi’s recognition, Lin Hanchuan had decided to teach Gu Shi some self-defense techniques. But just as he made up his mind, he was stopped.

With a hint of impatience on his face, Lin Hanchuan said directly, “If he’s sick, find a doctor. What use is there to find me?”

“Your Highness, the doctor has already seen him, but His Majesty is unconscious and still muttering about you…”

“Since the doctor has seen him, what use is there to find me?” Lin Hanchuan remained unmoved and was about to leave after passing by the little eunuch.

Before he took a few steps, he heard a bang behind him. Turning back, he found the little eunuch kneeling on the ground, his expression desolate. “Your Highness, please do not ignore it. His Majesty is the Emperor of the Sui Kingdom, the only bloodline of the late Emperor. You cannot just let him die.”

Lin Hanchuan was taken aback, feeling as if the eunuch had placed him in a high position as if he were a miraculous doctor who could bring the Emperor back from the brink of death.

With an indistinct smile, Lin Hanchuan’s voice did not reveal any joy or anger, “Show me the way.”

The little eunuch who was still reciting lines froze.

“Aren’t you saying he’s delirious and incoherent? Why aren’t you leading the way?” Lin Hanchuan glanced at the dumbfounded little eunuch, prompting him.

The little eunuch trembled all over, quickly got up from the ground, and hurriedly led the way, a string of auspicious words flowing from his mouth, “Your Highness, you are kind-hearted and benevolent, truly a Bodhisattva at heart…”

Lin Hanchuan’s brow furrowed slightly. He didn’t want to hear any more flattery from the eunuch, so he closed his mouth and quietly led the way ahead.

When he arrived at Zhao Yuan’s bedroom, the little eunuch stopped his steps, watching Lin Hanchuan walk in. He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, “I was so scared.”

Entering the bedroom, Lin Hanchuan was surprised to find that the entire room was empty. The maids and eunuchs who were usually present were nowhere to be seen, leaving only the lamp in the corner flickering slightly, adding a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere to the entire bedroom.

Raising an eyebrow, Lin Hanchuan took a few steps forward and saw the young emperor lying on the bed. Zhao Yuan, who was supposed to be burning with fever and unconscious, lay on the bed with nothing covering him. The bright yellow bedsheet under him contrasted strongly with his snow-white skin that had not seen the sun for a long time. His snowy skin and black hair, even the usually pale lips, were tinted with a hint of blush.

“What do you mean?” Lin Hanchuan stood far away, coldly and ruthlessly asking.

“As you can see,” the young emperor, trembling all over, still managed to force out, “You’ve always wanted me, so today, I shall grant your wish.”

Silence, endless silence.

For the first time, the young emperor tried to seduce someone, and he had imagined countless reactions from the other person, but not this kind of response.

After a long talk with his grandfather, the young emperor had analyzed the pros and cons and made up his mind. He was determined to redirect the Regent’s attention back to himself.

“Ha,” someone laughed out, a cold and mocking smile that made the young emperor’s already blushing cheeks even rosier.

“I thought you were playing some kind of trick,” Lin Hanchuan said with a smile, his tone not much different from usual.

Normally, the young emperor wouldn’t have felt anything wrong, but now he lay bare on the bed, and the man who professed love for him remained indifferent. Not only did he show no affection, but he also sneered.

For Zhao Yuan, this was the greatest insult.

Nails dug into his palm, Zhao Yuan wrapped himself in the blanket to barely cover his body, curling up on the bed. His gaze, however, was sinister as he looked at Lin Hanchuan, eyes filled with poison.

Lin Hanchuan felt he had overestimated the young emperor and the people behind him. He thought that their secretive visit today was a setup for an assassination attempt.

Who would have thought there was indeed a conspiracy behind the scenes, not an assassination attempt, but a seduction plot.

Zhao Yuan tried to maintain his composure as much as possible, slowly saying, “As the highest ruler…” He only started, but couldn’t continue.

Lin Hanchuan’s eyes were tinged with mockery, “You know you are the highest ruler, but look at yourself now, do you look like one?”

Gritting his teeth, Zhao Yuan said, “If it weren’t for you… I wouldn’t be like this.”

If the Regent didn’t have designs on him, he wouldn’t have ended up like this. If they hadn’t known and accompanied each other for so many years, no matter what happened, Zhao Yuan would never have done such a thing.

“No, it’s not for me,” Lin Hanchuan shook his head, “It’s for yourself.”

“For your throne, for your ambition, for the family behind you, but not for any specific person.” Lin Hanchuan didn’t know what had triggered the young emperor to suddenly do this, but he didn’t have time to be coy with him now, his tone becoming even colder, “If it were another Regent, you would have acted the same way. You can’t match your ambition with your abilities, so you can only resort to such lowly means to win support.”

Whether in the original story or reality, the young emperor Zhao Yuan did not have particularly outstanding political talent. In the original story, he was constantly restricted by his maternal family and was powerless against external enemies, relying entirely on the Regent to save the situation.

In the past, Zhao Yuan still retained some arrogance and the dignity of an emperor, but now it seemed like that was just because he hadn’t reached his limit.

Originally thinking it was an easy task, who would have thought he would be so ruthlessly humiliated. Zhao Yuan couldn’t bear it any longer and spit out a mouthful of blood, which landed on the back of his hand, a shocking sight.