The fact that this benefactor, Gong Yi Mo, was a woman caused many people to come and visit her. They made up their own beliefs about her, to the point where Gong Yi Mo has gain fame and is praised by women everywhere. She may even be more popular than beautiful men.
Every time their group left a location, the civilians there are reluctant to bid farewell. And everytime they arrive at a destination, the people there eagerly welcome there. As long as there are supportive people like these, the position of emperor will inevitably fall into Gong Che's hands.
But the water that carries a boat can also overturn it.
Just as a good blade can kill, one's reputation can also be a dangerous knife.
Gong Yi Mo felt a bit uncomfortable when she heard of the rumors circulating about Gong Che. Since Gong Che himself already heard of these gossips, it's no wonder he wasn't surprised when the news was delivered.
Gong Yi Mo returned to her dwelling with a worried mind, and just in time for a letter delivered by Jing Yun at her doorstep.
She wasn't aware of how Gong Jue had fared this past year at Xi Zhou. The letters from Zhen Xi Wang praised Gong Jue's talent; the boy seemed to be well loved by the people in Xi Zhou.
What's more peculiar is that he had a good reputation for his humility and he didn't take credit for a meritorious service. Instead, he told the emperor that he could be rewarded next time, which made Emperor Gong Sheng feel pity and affection for him. He has awarded Gong Jue several times and had even allowed him to take charge of 30,000 troops and horses underneath Zhen Xi Wang, thus making him a young general.
Gong Yi Mo couldn't help but sigh. At this point, she had become far less meticulous than Gong Jue, which put her behind.
With the joint efforts of 100,000 soldiers and horses, along with civilians, the Xi Zhou reservoir and canal project will soon be completed and Gong Jue will return. After all, his tasks mainly focus on surveying, examining each location, and giving other technical guidance. As for whether the excavation will fully go through Xi Zhou or not depends on Zhen Xi Wang.
This is a great merit, and who knows what kind of reward the prince will receive.
Gong Yi Mo opened the letter and read carefully, but the more she read, the deeper her frown.
It turns out that during the course of excavating, Gong Jue had unexpectedly discovered a strange underground tunnel. He sneaked into the passageway and met Lou Ye's scouts!
Recalling Jing Yun's reports of suspicious movement, Gong Yi Mo frowned and quickly wrote a reply.
The letter's main content was to tell Gong Jue not to be greedy for merit and to return to the capital as soon as possible once the canal is completed.
Once he goes to the capital and receives his reward, the business alongside the canal will prosper, and he can live comfortably without worrying about a thing.
Gong Yi Mo originally thought that Gong Jue would be obedient to her authority as his imperial sister. However, he did not want to simply be rich and idle prince. What the boy truly wanted was real power and to pursue deeper ambitions!
After her letter was sent out, Gong Yi Mo felt a little restless. Just then, Gong Che came back. Seeing that he was tired, Gong Yi Mo couldn't help but ask:
"What's wrong Elder Brother Prince?"
Gong Che was in a much better mood after seeing Gong Yi Mo. At the age of seventeen, his appearance had become more handsome and appealing. Along their journey, he had no idea how many girls had lost their hearts when they laid eyes on him. Even his tired appearance was a beautiful sight.
"It seems that certain people have spent a lot of effort to spread the rumors. We can't find its source and the rumors can't be suppressed!"