We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Mr. Gao knelt on the ground, his whole body shaking like a sieve, his forehead pressed against the cold bluestone slab, not even daring to breathe.

The national jade seal!

If you receive orders from Heaven, you will live a long and prosperous life!

Under the whole heaven, only the Supreme Being is worthy of possessing this thing.

All the doubts and speculations just now had an answer at this moment...an answer he never even dared to dream of.

No wonder this man has such an extraordinary demeanor, with gold ingots paving the way with a wave of his hand; no wonder his followers are so elite and powerful, silent as a mountain but full of murderous aura; no wonder he dares to speak frankly about the relatives of the aristocratic families, and even has such an arrogant tone that the Du family treats a commoner as a guest of honor!

It was him!

It was the one who was rumored to have ascended the throne in Fengtian and was leading his troops south to fight for the world... Prince Fengtian!

I was just guessing which family's heir he was. I was so blind and stupid!

At this moment, Mr. Gao only felt his limbs were cold and he was frightened.

At the same time, a trace of eagerness surged from the deepest part of my heart.

The emperor, this is a living emperor, standing in front of him in his own home.

The opportunity, the chance to leap over the dragon gate and reach the sky in one step, is right in front of us!

Li Che looked at Mr. Gao, who was shaking badly, but his expression remained calm.

He casually handed the piece of cloth stained with ink to his personal guard and said calmly, "Now, do you think I am worthy enough to allow the Du Mansion to open its doors to welcome guests?"

When Mr. Gao heard the word "I", his whole body trembled.

"Enough! Enough! In the whole world, there is no other... no more weighty evidence than this!"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please forgive me! I was blind and didn't realize that the Emperor had come. I was disrespectful and blasphemous before. I deserve death! I deserve death!"

As he spoke, he was about to kowtow.

"That's enough." Li Che held out his hand to stop him. "Ignorance is not a crime. I came here incognito and didn't want to make a public announcement."

"Besides, I like you. Get up and answer me. The ground is cold."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

Only then did Mr. Gao use his trembling hands and feet to get up from the ground.

His waist was still bent very low, and he dared not raise his head. He was extremely respectful and fearful.

Now looking at this house that he thought was solid, he felt that it was leaking everywhere and was not worthy of the emperor's stay.

Gou Wa, standing aside, was still shirtless, staring blankly at Master Gao, who seemed to have suddenly become a different person.

He was just a shepherd boy. He had heard of the emperor but had never heard of "Your Majesty". He had no idea what was going on.

He just touched the red mark on his back and muttered softly: "What is this painting? What should I do if it can't be washed off..."

He had no idea what those eight words meant, he just felt a chill and a little itchy.

Gao Yuanwai was so frightened that he lowered his voice and scolded, "Gou Wa! Stop talking nonsense! This is a great grace from heaven! Quick! Come on, thank His Majesty!"

Gou Wa was frightened by his roar. Although he didn't understand, he subconsciously knelt down like Mr. Gao.

Li Che waved his hand and said to his guards, "Find him some clothes to put on so he doesn't catch a cold."

He looked at Mr. Gao again, his tone returning to its previous casual tone: "Okay, Mr. Gao, now we can talk about how to get this little guy into the city safely and meet the person in charge of the Du family."

Mr. Gao didn't dare to hesitate at all at this moment, his mind was racing at an unprecedented speed.

After a moment, he replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I was ignorant just now, but now that I know it is Your Majesty's will, there is great potential for this matter!"

"I also remember the small gate where the night incense was poured. The guards were usually very lax because no one wanted to approach that filthy place."

"Gou Wa is young and frail. If he takes advantage of the early morning and disguises himself as a beggar or peddler to sneak into that area, he might have a chance of success."

He paused and continued, "However...how to get Gou Wa to meet the influential people in the Du Mansion, or even directly reach the core of the Du family, still requires some planning."

Li Che nodded slightly: "It's okay, just make sure Gou Wa can enter the backyard of the Du Mansion and find the servant named Fen Dan'er."

"Once you find it, show the seal to whoever's in charge and tell them, 'The son of an old friend, with this token, seeks to see Lord Du to share important matters concerning the survival of the family.'"

"Remember, it's 'Mr. Du,' not 'Lord Du' or 'Master Du.'"

In this context, the title "Du Gong" refers to the head of the Du family, or the core figure of Du Fuchen's generation, and is more likely to attract attention.

Gao Yuanwai understood and nodded repeatedly: "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Yes." Li Che nodded with satisfaction. "If this is accomplished, Mr. Gao, I will never forget your help."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Gao was so moved that tears streamed down his face. He bowed again and said, "To be able to serve Your Majesty is a blessing earned through countless lifetimes!"

Li Che smiled and looked out the window again: "Go, make arrangements as soon as possible. I'm waiting for news from Chang'an City."

. . . . . .

The sky was getting light, and the towering walls of Chang'an City were faintly visible in the morning mist.

Gou Wa huddled in the corner, looking at the low door not far away that was used only for night-scented cars.

Soon, the small door creaked open, and several servants in uniform came in pushing empty carts, ready to start a new day of collecting incense.

While the old guard at the gate was yawning and turning his back, Gou Wa slid along the wall like a loach and slipped into the small door that had not been closed yet.

Inside the door was a narrow, damp alley, and the air was filled with a strong stench of feces.

Gou Wa suppressed his nausea and twisted around, avoiding several old women who got up early to empty the toilet.

Finally, in the corner of the backyard of the Du Mansion, a young servant was seen stretching lazily as he walked out of the door.

"Brother Fendan!" Gou Wa shouted in a low voice.

The servant was startled. He took a closer look and realized it was Gou Wa. He opened his mouth in surprise and said, "Gou Wa? Why did you come into the city?"

Then his expression changed: "No, you are courting death! This is the Du Mansion. If you dare to peek into the Du Mansion, I'm afraid you'll break your legs if you're caught!"

Gou Wa didn't bother to explain and hurriedly said, "Brother Fentan, I have an urgent matter, a very urgent matter! Please take me to see the noble person in charge of the mansion!"

Fentaner seemed to have heard a huge joke: "You? See the manager? Gou Wa, are you starving?!"

"Hurry up and go back to where you came from. I'll pretend I didn't see you."

Gou Wa was anxious. Remembering the instructions from Master Gao and that scary yet handsome military officer, he grabbed Fen Dan'er's arm and said, "This is a huge matter. It concerns the lives of the entire Du family!"

Although he is young, he has been struggling to survive for many years, and there is a ruthlessness in his eyes.

Fentaner was frightened by his glare, and after hearing what he said was serious, he was skeptical: "What can you do? Don't scare me!"

"I'm not kidding you. This isn't my business, it's Mr. Gao's business outside the city!" Gou Wa stamped his feet anxiously, "Take me there quickly. We'll find out when we meet the person in charge! Otherwise, tie me up and hand me over, and say I snuck in!"

Fendan hesitated again and again, and seeing that Gou Wa's anxious look did not seem fake.

Then he thought about how the Du family was one of the most powerful families in Chang'an City, and how they treated him well. If something really delayed him...

He couldn't help but grit his teeth and said, "Forget it, forget it. It's my bad luck. I'll take you to see Manager Liu in the backyard."

"But I can't control whether he sees you or not, or whether he beats you out with a stick after seeing you!"

After saying that, Fendaner pulled Gou Wa and slipped into the backyard of the Du Mansion through the back door, avoiding people.

After many twists and turns, he arrived at a relatively tidy courtyard and pointed to a wing room and whispered, "Manager Liu lives here. He usually manages us servants and maids. You can try your luck there. I dare not show up."

After saying that, Fendaner slipped away like a frightened rabbit.

Gou Wa took a deep breath, mustered up the courage to walk to the door, and just as he was about to raise his hand to knock, the door opened from the inside.

A middle-aged man wearing a respectable silk shirt and with a rat-like mustache came out. It was Manager Liu.

When he saw the ragged-dressed dog boy, he thought he was just a little beggar. He immediately frowned, his face full of disgust: "Where did you come from, little beggar? Get out of here! Is this the place you can come to?"

Gou Wa hurriedly said, "Master Steward, I have something important to report. I need to see Master Du of the Du family in the mansion!"

Manager Liu looked him up and down and sneered, "See the master? You're just a beggar, what big deal could you possibly have?"

"Could it be that you picked up a copper coin from somewhere and dared to come to the Du Mansion to offer your treasure? Get out of here now! If you don't, I'll have someone break your legs and throw you out!"

Gou Wa used the same trick again: "It was Mr. Gao from outside the city who called me..."

"Mr. Gao is nothing!" Manager Liu said disdainfully, "He's just a servant. Even if he came in person, he would have to behave properly when meeting me."

When Gou Wa heard what he said, he was very angry and was about to take off his clothes.

Just then, there was a sudden commotion in the front yard, as if some important person had arrived.

Manager Liu's face changed, and he no longer cared about Gou Wa. He kept muttering, "It must be the Second Master who has returned. We must go and welcome him quickly."

As he said that, he was about to walk out.

Seeing that his only chance was about to slip away, Gou Wa didn't care about anything else in a hurry.

He opened his throat and shouted with all his strength: "The Du family is going to be in big trouble! A disaster of great magnitude is about to happen! Only I can save you!"

"Du Gong! Du Gong!!!"

His voice was sharp, and in the relatively quiet backyard, it seemed extremely harsh.

Manager Liu, who was about to leave, was so frightened that he turned around and rushed over to cover his mouth: "Little beast! Are you looking for death!"

The noise in the front yard suddenly stopped, and a steady voice came: "What's the noise in the backyard?!"

I saw a group of people coming in from the moon gate in the front yard. The leader was about fifty years old, with a dignified demeanor and a sense of authority without even being angry.

It was Du Fuji, the current head of the Du family, who once held an important position in the court and is now unemployed at home.