[Reward: I Know My Beloved's Heart. Active Skill.]
[Effective Time: 15 minutes. Cooldown Time: 5 days.]
[Skill Effect: During its duration, the host can view the current true thoughts of their bound confidante.]
[Restriction 1: Only thoughts related to the host and the current event can be read.]
[Restriction 2: Long-term memories, family secrets, and hidden cultivation techniques cannot be accessed. Access may be inaccurate if the target's emotions fluctuate excessively.]
Gu Moran closed his eyes and pretended to wipe his face with the back of his hand as if wiping sweat.
Rain pattered against the windowsill, the aroma of tea had faded, and the remaining warmth in the room had almost dissipated.
A sentence popped into his head.
The most difficult thing to understand is a woman's heart.
He was just wondering why these women were willing to risk their entire families.
Now, the system is presenting the skill to you.
OK.
The system is finally starting to behave a little.
Seeing that he remained silent, Shen Ling'er tapped the medicine box twice with her fingertips.
"Husband, why are you spacing out?"
"Scared to death by us? Weren't you supposed to be pretty brave?"
She moved forward slightly.
"So it seems you're not that brave after all."
Gu Moran replaced the sob in her throat with a joke.
"The boldest thing I ever did was marry six wives."
Shen Ling'er blinked.
"Then what?"
Then I discovered I had invited back six ancestors.
"..."
Lin Qingdai leaned against the pillar, her hand still resting on the sword sheath.
"Regret it?"
Gu Moran changed her tune very quickly.
No regrets.
He pushed the teacup aside slightly, avoiding the file that had been soaked with water.
"Many ancestors, many incense offerings."
Shen Ling'er laughed first, and the medicine box shook twice.
You're truly shameless.
Su Yao held her teacup, not replying, but simply covering her lips with the rim of the cup.
Murong Xue didn't quite understand the phrase "prosperous incense offerings," and frowned as she looked at him for a while.
Are they insulting us?
Gu Moran immediately shook her head.
"It's a compliment."
Shen Ling'er laughed even harder.
The oppressive atmosphere in the hall finally eased a bit.
Gu Moran didn't laugh for long.
Laughs aside, none of these plans laid out on the table are trivial matters.
He pushed the case file forward.
"Ladies, may I ask you a question?"
"You have truly given this matter considerable thought."
"You're willing to risk your life and your family for me?"
After these words were spoken, the hall fell silent for a moment.
The sound of rain became clearer.
The damp breeze seeping in through the window cracks caused the candlelight to flicker, and the edges of the plain paper on Xie Wanqing's desk to curl up.
Gu Moran silently recited two words in his mind.
activation.
[Skill " I Know My Beloved's Heart " has been activated, lasting for 15 minutes. Countdown has begun.]
Su Yao spoke first.
She placed the teacup back on the table, the bottom of the cup touching the surface with a very soft sound.
It's not about doing it for anyone in particular.
She raised her chin.
" The Su Clan and the Prince Yi's Residence are already in the same boat. If you sink, the Chancellor's Residence won't be able to get ashore either."
Gu Moran looked at her.
The pale blue lettering came into view.
[True Thoughts: Before that night he got drunk at the Chancellor's Residence, he certainly didn't seem like someone who could accomplish anything.]
After that night, he became willing to study, practice martial arts, take on trouble, and pretend to be carefree.
Others might see him acting foolishly, but I can tell.
He is changing.
He did it for me.
I can't let him shoulder this alone.
Gu Moran loosened his grip on the case file slightly.
He looked away, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.
Shen Ling'er slammed the medicine box onto the table.
Don't flatter yourself; I didn't do this for you.
Gu Moran looked at her.
"For whom?"
"For the sake of medicinal herbs."
Shen Ling'er patted the medicine box, making a loud thud.
"If you're gone, where am I supposed to find those rare medicinal herbs from the royal treasury? I'm still missing a few ingredients from my thirty-seven bottles of herbal paste."
After she finished speaking, she added another sentence.
"Also, don't pretend you forgot about the golden-thread snake gall you promised to get me."
[Real thoughts: My husband is handsome, interesting, and good at making a fuss in bed. I like him.]
But he looked unwell today; his lips were dry, and his nails were pale, probably because he hadn't slept well.
I'll find an excuse to give him ginseng soup later.
Gu Moran paused for a moment, his hand holding the teacup.
This girl was going to poison the jailer for him, and now she's arranging ginseng soup for him.
He looked at Murong Xue.
Murong Xue held the knife, the hilt resting horizontally in the crook of her arm, her chin held high.
Don't overthink it.
"I just feel that after you die, there will be no one in the Central Plains to ride horses with me, it will be meaningless."
She glanced at the snacks on the table but didn't take them.
Let's look Gu Moran.
"Also, you owe me four whole roasted lambs."
[True thought: That day on the bend, he held onto the horse's mane tightly, even though he was terrified, he still wouldn't let go.]
My father once said that a warrior is not someone who is fearless, but someone who, even when afraid, will not retreat.
He is the first person among the people of the Central Plains whom I would willingly entrust my back to.
If something really happens, I'll take him and run.
It's not because he's my husband.
It's because he deserves it.
Gu Moran took a sip of tea, but choked and coughed twice because he drank it too quickly.
Murong Xue frowned.
"You can't even drink water properly?"
Gu Moran put down his teacup.
The tea is too hot.
Murong Xue stared at him for two breaths.
"You're so stupid."
"Um."
Gu Moran pushed the teacup away a little and stopped looking at her.
Lin Qingdai stood by the pillar, her boot toes lightly touching the ground.
" Gu Moran, let me make this clear first, don't flatter yourself."
She raised her hand and pressed down on the sword sheath, the wooden sheath rubbing softly against her palm.
"Although I married into the Prince Yi's Residence, I am still a member of the Grand Commandant's Residence."
She paused, as if to suggest that her words weren't strong enough, and then added.
"My father taught me that if you eat at someone's house, you should work for that family. Your braised pork knuckle here is delicious."
Gu Moran looked at her.
"Just because of the pork knuckle?"
Lin Qingdai retorted, "Otherwise what? Is it because you're pretty?"
[Real thought: He may be frivolous, but he'll remind me that my hand position is wrong.]
He's clearly capable, but he deliberately chose to get beaten up by me.
Although he had approached Murong Xue, it turned out he was after her body.
Let's not mention her.
Anyway, this man was always polite to me and never pressured me to consummate the marriage.
This proves that in this man's heart, I am different from others.
Gu Moran raised his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
OK.
She convinced herself.
Xie Wanqing lowered her head, her pen resting on the plain paper, the ink still wet.
There was a faint scent of ink around her, mixed with the damp smell of the rainy night.
"My husband."
She spoke, then paused, and straightened her pen.
" Wanqing has no other skills; she can only write a few words and read a few books."
She looked up at Gu Moran, then looked down again.
"It is Wanqing's blessing to be able to do things for her husband."
[Real thought: The day he asked me what kind of tea I liked was the first time I ever chose something myself.]
Biluochun tea is bitter.
But that was my choice.
On the poetry stage, he can make a name for himself, or he can let someone else take his place.
He chose me.
Therefore, I also chose him.
Gu Moran's throat tightened.
He picked up the teacup, then put it down again.
Shen Ling'er saw it and immediately came over.
Why is your complexion changing so much? Are you constipated?
Gu Moran looked at her.
Can you please be quiet for a moment?
I care about you.
"..."
Gu Moran remained silent.
That girl needs to be taught a lesson.
Liu Ruyan sat by the window.
Rainwater slid down the window frame, and her fingers rested on the rim of the cup, tracing the texture of the cup back and forth.
"I'm not lying to you. I really am the only one left in the Liu Clan."
She lowered her eyes.
"There's nothing to be afraid of."
I paused for a moment.
"I've already decided on my wedding day."
Gu Moran looked at her.
What have you decided?
Liu Ruyan looked up, the sound of rain outside the window pressing in, and spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Think about who you'll go with in the future."
[True Thoughts: I have lived in the Flower-Between Pavilion for many years and have seen other people give me gold hairpins, jade bracelets, calligraphy and paintings, and silks.]
Everything has a price tag.
Only the set of writing brushes and ink he gave me is missing.
He married me, but he didn't want us to consummate our marriage, play the piano, drink with him, or smile at him.
He only cared whether I was comfortable living there.
I'm sticking with this guy.
Even if it's a dead end, I'll accept it.
Gu Moran placed the teacup back on the table.
The porcelain base made a crisp sound when it struck.
He looked down at the tea in his cup.
Six people.
Six mouths.
What they talked about was either profit, medicinal herbs, roasted whole lamb, or eating and working.
But the hidden words are more piercing than the last.
Gu Moran placed his palm on the case file.
My palms were sweaty, and a damp mark was pressed into the corner of the paper.
Shen Ling'er waited for a long time, and seeing that he didn't move, she leaned half her body over.
"Husband, what are you doing now?"
Gu Moran didn't look up.
"Nothing."
You look like you're constipated.
"Shut up."
"I have some laxative pills here; they melt in your mouth."
" Shen Ling'er, if you say that again, I'll throw your medicine box into the pool."
Shen Ling'er picked up the medicine box.
Lin Qingdai couldn't stand it anymore.
"After all that talk, what's the important matter?"
She lightly touched the ground with the scabbard.
What are you dawdling about?
Murong Xue tapped the edge of the table with the back of her knife.
"You've seen the plan, is there anything usable? Don't just ask us why we're protecting you."
Su Yao picked up her teacup and blew on the floating leaves.
"If you have nothing to say, go back to sleep. Look at your red eyes."
Xie Wanqing pursed her lips and whispered a reply.
"My husband might be hungry; perhaps he could eat something first."
Liu Ruyan looked at the plate of pastries on the table and pushed the plate half an inch towards him.
Gu Moran raised her head and looked at them.
He suddenly laughed.
"OK."