Chapter 454 - 374: Remote Gambit, Deliberation on Promotion

"Sir, a letter has arrived for you."

Chen Ping’an had just come out of seclusion when he heard news of the letter from Yuan Zutong.

Zhong Shanyong’s injuries were quite severe, so Yuan Zutong had been managing all the affairs of the Garrison Commandant’s Office these past few days.

"Oh?" Chen Ping’an was slightly surprised. "Where was it sent from?"

"It seems to be from Beicang Town, Sir!" Yuan Zutong said respectfully.

A glint flashed in Chen Ping’an’s eyes; he had a good idea who had sent the letter.

Inside his private office, Chen Ping’an saw the letter. It was secured with a wax seal and an official stamp, indicating it was of the highest importance!

He broke the seal, unfolded the paper, and saw the signature. It was just as Chen Ping’an had expected.

The letter was from Gu Qingchan!

Come to think of it, he and Gu Qingchan had just met in Beicang Town not long ago. Why was she sending him a letter now?

With a hint of confusion, Chen Ping’an began to read Gu Qingchan’s letter.

There wasn’t much in the way of pleasantries. Gu Qingchan’s opening was concise and clear, getting straight to the point.

Gu Qingchan stated plainly that she had heard about the dispute between Chen Ping’an and the Qiankun Bureau over the credit for his accomplishments. After getting a general understanding of the situation, she had casually given things a little push in his favor.

It wasn’t a major issue, and she had assumed that with her stepping in, the Qiankun Bureau would show her some face. However, she hadn’t expected that while initial communications went smoothly, problems would arise at the implementation stage. After some inquiries, it seemed some influential figure within the Qiankun Bureau had also made their voice heard.

Initially, Gu Qingchan had only lent a hand as a matter of convenience. But for someone at the Qiankun Bureau to still disrespect her after she had already spoken up truly stoked her anger. Taking the matter seriously, she mobilized considerable resources to see it through for Chen Ping’an.

However, the figure from the Qiankun Bureau who had spoken up was no pushover. Although his overall influence couldn’t compare to Gu Qingchan’s, being a Golden Bell Qiankun Envoy Candidate within the Qiankun Bureau gave him a home-field advantage.

After a remote power struggle, a Magical Combat of sorts, they ultimately fought to a draw!

In practice, this outcome meant that the credit for the three Profound Light Elders from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect would be split evenly between the Qiankun Bureau and the Garrison Commandant’s Office—half for each!

In other words, Chen Ping’an would only receive half the credit for the three Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s Profound Light Elders.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but smile when he read Gu Qingchan’s description of being provoked and going all out to help him.

"Gu Qingchan’s nickname may be ’Ice Soul Silver Needle,’ but she really has a fiery temper!"

As he spoke, Chen Ping’an recalled the records about Gu Qingchan from the Grandmaster chronicles.

In her youth, Gu Qingchan had been a prodigy of the Gu Family, once ranking first on the Canglong Province’s Rising Star Chart. Her personality back then was incredibly fiery, only improving after she began her Cultivation of the Profound Ice Heart Method.

Although the final result wasn’t perfect, considering they had only met once, Gu Qingchan’s actions were more than enough to put Chen Ping’an in her debt.

More than the matter of the credit itself, what was truly worth pondering was Gu Qingchan’s attitude and the signal her actions sent to the outside world!

The affair involved a struggle between two Grandmasters, so its impact was bound to be significant. Many people had been watching as it unfolded.

The Gu Family Grandmaster, the Ice Soul Silver Needle, Gu Qingchan—for the sake of securing Chen Ping’an’s credit, she hadn’t hesitated to fall out with a fellow Grandmaster of the Same Realm, engaging in a remote power struggle, a contest of schemes, and a major clash!

That Gu Qingchan was willing to go to such lengths for Chen Ping’an... who wouldn’t be intimidated by such blatant protection!

And if one were to combine this with the rumors previously circulating within the Garrison Commandant’s Office—that Director Gu Haoqing of the State Garrison Command intended to arrange a marriage between a junior of his clan and Chen Ping’an—who wouldn’t let their imagination run wild?!

Regardless of what Chen Ping’an himself thought, after this incident, he was effectively branded with the mark of the Gu Family in the eyes of outsiders.

This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Gu Family’s influence within the Governor System was immense. With the Gu Family backing him, people within the system would naturally pay more attention to him and take him more seriously!

’Come to think of it, did Gu Qingchan deliberately escalate the situation just to achieve this very outcome!?’

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but ponder the deeper implications.

’If that’s really the case, then Gu Qingchan is quite the schemer.’ An image of her appeared in Chen Ping’an’s mind: her hair piled high in a bun, adorned with dazzling, radiant gems and pearls; her long gown elegant and noble, making her seem like a peerless, magnificent beauty.

And yet... when Chen Ping’an’s gaze fell on her strikingly vivid baby face, he found it impossible to associate her with the phrase "deeply cunning."

But regardless of whether Gu Qingchan’s actions were intentional or not, the result was the same. The incident had served as the catalyst to bind Chen Ping’an’s reputation to the Gu Family!

’Call it an overt plot or a cunning scheme, I’ve boarded the Gu Family’s pirate... er, war chariot!’

"However..." A surge of power emanated from Chen Ping’an’s palm. With a flash of green light, the letter in his hand burst into flames. "If I am unwilling, no one can force me! As long as I wish it, I can step off the Gu Family’s war chariot and untie my connection to them at any time!"

’Dependence or cooperation—it’s merely a matter of strength! In the eyes of outsiders, my relationship with the Gu Family is one of dependence.’

’But as long as I continue to advance so bravely and diligently, sooner or later, the one in the position of dependence will be the Gu Family itself!’