Gu Moran nodded. "Understood."
Lin Zhenshan has resumed his work.
Before leaving, he glanced at Gu Moran one last time.
"Avoid the imperial prison these days. The Emperor sees no one as innocent now."
Gu Moran held the medicine box and the wooden box, behaving as obediently as could be.
"I'm most afraid of trouble, I'll definitely go back to my residence and lock the gates."
Lin Zhenshan paused for a moment, reining in his horse.
He ignored him and left with his men.
The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.
Gu Moran stood still, slowly loosening his grip.
Uncle Fu stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, shall we return to the manor?"
Gu Moran glanced in the direction of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate.
The light is still on.
The emperor was not asleep.
Gu Moran the wooden box into the car.
"Return to the residence."
Uncle Fu nodded.
The carriage wheels rolled along the palace road, the morning light outside was gray.
Gu Moran leaned against the carriage wall, his fingers pressing against the medicine box in his sleeve, then touching the wooden box.
This trip to the palace was worthwhile.
The light was still on in the study of Prince Yi's Residence's mansion.
Uncle Fu entered the door before him, holding a thin letter in his hands.
The envelope was unsigned, only sealed with the fine wax commonly used in the Hanzhang Hall.
When Gu Moran took off his outer robe, he smelled a faint fragrance from the wax.
A letter from Noble Consort Chen.
He opened it under the light.
There weren't many words on the paper.
The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, the general amnesty, and the old guard from the imperial prison have all entered the game.
I'm staying home as much as possible these days.
One must absolutely avoid contact with the imperial prison or the Xiao Clan of the previous dynasty.
After reading it a second time, Gu Moran's fingertip hovered over the words "stay home as much as possible".
Hanzhang Hall was shielding him from the wind.
This also served as a reminder that the emperor's suspicions had not yet dissipated.
Uncle Fu, standing to the side, asked, "Did Her Majesty say anything else?"
Gu Moran his head and brought the letter closer to the candlelight.
The paper edges caught fire.
Just then, the system panel popped up.
[Settlement completed at key milestones.]
[Sever Xiao Jinghan's destined escape route from prison and plunder his luck points.]
[Reward: Martial Dao Fifth Rank Advancement Pill ]
A pill fell into the system slot.
Gu Moran's eyes flickered.
Advancement to Fifth Rank.
He is currently at the Sixth Rank; if he swallows it, he can take a step towards the Fifth Rank.
These Son of Destiny are all incredibly difficult to deal with.
They were born with countless opportunities!
But I, the villain, have to work so hard to get the system rewards!
That's so unfair.
Gu Moran looked at the hidden compartment on the desk.
The Shen Family's old case.
The old case of the Liu Clan.
Testimony of Tao Wujiu.
The evidence that Han Che obtained at the cost of his life.
Fifth Rank pills are good stuff.
Uncle Fu saw his fingertips hovering in mid-air.
"Your Highness?"
Gu Moran out of her reverie and placed the narrow wooden box Lin Zhenshan had given her on the desk.
"The manor is closed to visitors today. Just say I was frightened, Shen Ling'er forbids me from being exposed to the wind."
Uncle Fu nodded. "This old servant understands."
Gu Moran opened the wooden box.
There were three old books pressed inside.
The pages are yellowed, the edges are worn, and there's no fancy name on the cover.
Supplement to Wind-Dismantling Hand ".
" Thirty-Six Short-Bridge Close-Combat Forms "
Miscellaneous Extracts on Military Footwork
Gu Moran pressed his fingertip on the first book, absorbing it frantically, almost laughing out loud.
The old Grand Commandant said, "There's nothing important about it."
This is what you call not a big deal?
This father-in-law is just as stubborn as Lin Qingdai.
He had just turned to the first page when he heard footsteps outside the door.
The servant was outside, speaking in a low voice.
"Your Highness, someone from the palace has arrived again."
Gu Moran stopped.
Uncle Fu's expression also changed.
Which side are you on?
The servant outside the door swallowed hard.
" The Imperial Medical Bureau says that Divine Physician Chu and Elder Shen went to the palace to deliver medicine, but something happened at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate."
Gu Moran closed the old book.
Chu Tianxing?
Only one sentence remained in his mind.
Has this living ancestor spoken again?
Let's rewind to half an hour ago.
In the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, the Emperor grew increasingly angry and summoned the Crown Prince to kneel as punishment.
The prince's vision blurred, and his throat felt dry and sore.
The Eastern Palace Prince knelt outside the palace, his study was sealed off, his advisors were arrested, but Xiao Jinghan was still alive.
Every eye in the palace was watching his disheveled state.
The prince lowered his head, his teeth clenched.
Gu Moran.
Xiao Jinghan.
Gu Mochen.
And that woman, Chen Qinglan.
Everyone was waiting to see just how badly he would fare.
Footsteps could be heard coming from inside the palace gates.
Chen Dehai came out and glanced at him.
"Your Highness, His Majesty has summoned the imperial physician to the palace."
The crown prince looked up, his eyes bloodshot and swollen.
"Father, may I inherit this throne?"
Chen Dehai lowered his hands. "His Majesty didn't say."
The prince's hands tightened inside his sleeves.
Before long, Elder Shen led Chu Tianxing into the hall.
Chu Tianxing the medicine box in one hand and rubbed his stomach with the other, muttering to himself, "The palace sends medicine so early, and they don't even give us a piece of bread first. This job is really tough."
Elder Shen turned his head and glared at him.
Chu Tianxing shut up.
As he approached the palace gate, his eyes darted around, first landing on the kneeling crown prince.
The crown prince's face was pale, with dark circles under his eyes and pale lips.
If you kneel for too long, with your back and waist still straining, your breath will rise to the surface, and if you try to lift your feet, you will feel weak.
Chu Tianxing slowed his pace by half a beat.
Elder Shen immediately whispered, "Don't look around."
Chu Tianxing nodded.
"Yes, it depends on His Majesty."
He took three steps into the hall, then turned back to look at the Crown Prince.
Elder Shen's temple throbbed.
My little darling, please don't cause any trouble.
The emperor sat behind his desk, the medicine cup untouched.
I didn't sleep all night. My head was throbbing behind my brow bone, and I kept seeing dark shadows in front of my eyes.
He saw Chu Tianxing and his tone was not good.
Where's the medicine?
Elder Shen stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the Toxin-Clearing and Essence-Fortifying Decoction has been prepared and is at the perfect temperature."
Chen Dehai took the medicine cup, examined it, and then presented it to the emperor.
The emperor drank half a cup; the bitter taste went down his throat, and the dryness in his chest subsided slightly.
Chu Tianxing stood to the side, his eyes drifting towards the outside of the hall.
Elder Shen gently touched his calf with his medicine box.
Chu Tianxing endured it.
I endured it all.
The crown prince swayed slightly outside the palace due to numbness in his knees.
The eunuch beside him reached out his hand, but he shook him off, his face turning even uglier.
Chu Tianxing's lips moved slightly.
Elder Shen's hand tightened.
Don't speak.
Absolutely not.
Chu Tianxing looked at the Crown Prince's face, his mind was filled with images of pulse diagnosis.
The essence and vital energy are weak and depleted.
Kidney Qi is not stable.
Prolonged anger damages the liver, excessive indulgence harms the body's foundation, and excessive internal fire disturbs the heart, severely weakening the body's foundation.
Having children is difficult.
His mouth beats faster than his brain.
"Your Majesty, I can't stand it anymore! This Crown Prince is insane!"
The air inside the hall suddenly felt heavy and oppressive.
Chen Dehai held the medicine tray, his wrist hovering in mid-air.
Everyone in the hall looked up in unison, then quickly looked down again.
Elder Shen closed his eyes briefly.
It's over.
The emperor's gaze fell on Chu Tianxing.
"What did you say?"
Chu Tianxing's back tensed up.
He knew his words had backfired.
It's too late to take it back.
Just as Elder Shen was about to speak to salvage the situation, the Emperor raised his hand. "Let him speak."
Upon hearing this outside the palace, the crown prince's expression changed, and he shouted.
"Father, I am unharmed."
Chu Tianxing glanced at him, his tone weaker than before.
It's not an emergency.
Elder Shen coughed lightly beside him.
Chu Tianxing's words took a detour. "It's just... the root is a bit weak."
The prince suddenly looked up.
"Presumptuous!"
Chu Tianxing shrank back at the shout and immediately looked at Elder Shen.
Elder Shen wished he could shove the pestle into his mouth.
The emperor stared at Chu Tianxing: "Explain yourself."
Chu Tianxing swallowed hard.
Telling the truth will get you killed.
Lying will ruin your reputation.
The words Elder Shen taught him kept echoing in his mind, and he chose the one that was still plausible.
"His Highness the Crown Prince suffers from imbalanced Qi and blood, depleted essence, and weak kidney Qi. His ability to conceive will be difficult."
As the last two words were spoken, the hall became so quiet that the soft rustling of the lamp wick could be heard.
The prince stopped abruptly.
Having children is difficult.
When those four words reached his ears, his first thought wasn't about illness.
It's Chen Qinglan.
Over the years, the Eastern Palace has had no son, so he scolded her for being useless, ignored her, and punished her.
Now this quack doctor is saying, in front of the Emperor, the imperial physicians, and the eunuchs, that the problem actually lies with him?
impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
He has to shut him up, or he'll really lose his position as crown prince!