Could it be that De'an, who is close to the Emperor, has already been bought over by the officials of the Eldest Prince's faction?
Only this can make sense, after all, the only one who can attend closely to the Emperor is De'an, and the Emperor trusts him the most.
The Emperor is getting old, and who knows which day he might pass away. It's normal for De'an to seek a new patron for himself; after all, people plan for themselves.
Although this is a possibility, Gu Chengyu still cannot be certain for now.
Thinking further, Gu Chengyu suddenly recalled that the Emperor is indeed aging, his health is not as good as before, and he suffers from chronic cold leg pain.
Therefore, two charcoal braziers are lit in the Imperial Study Room in winter, so the temperature in the room is very high.
The last time Gu Chengyu went there, he even broke a slight sweat. He usually dressed rather lightly, which shows how much the Emperor fears the cold.
