"To be honest, I am truly afraid of death."
Gu Moyuan's brow twitched slightly.
Gu Moran counted on her fingers to show him.
"Look, Your Majesty, the Chancellor's Residence can write memorials, the Grand Commandant's Residence can perform surgery, the Imperial Medical Bureau can save lives, and the Imperial Academy has high literary talent and witty insults."
"My brother will bring her home after we marry her, so he'll have more confidence when he goes out drinking and gambling."
Gu Moyuan looked at him for a while.
"That's all?"
"And shopping."
Gu Moran added earnestly.
"Your Majesty, you don't know, but when I went to the gambling den before, that scoundrel manager dared to press me for payment. He really didn't take me seriously!"
Things are different now.
"As soon as I entered the door, they knew that six families of relatives were standing behind me, and they were trembling with anxiety as they calculated their next move."
The crown prince chuckled, speechless at this remark.
"Third brother, are you treating marriage like a child's game?"
"That's called self-preservation."
Gu Moran placed the fan on the table.
"Brother, to be honest, I think you're living a life that's too tiring for you."
"They get up early every day to listen to government affairs, stay up late at night to read memorials, and you have to guess what's going on in everyone's mind."
"I'm not trying to be mean, but look how carefree we are!"
Gu Moyuan looked at him.
Gu Moran pointed to himself.
"Although I am a bit of a rascal, I am not stupid. I can stay up all night, but only if I am with a beautiful woman!"
Gu Moyuan's smile faded slightly.
"I summoned you here today because I am truly concerned for you. Does your third brother's household have any trusted confidants who can offer you advice?"
Of course there are.
The prince leaned forward half an inch.
Gu Moran raised his hand and pointed to the door.
" Uncle Fu."
"Every day he gives his younger brother advice, which is always the same: go to bed early, get up early, drink less alcohol, and stop playing with the geese in the mansion. I'm sick of hearing it."
The prince's smile paused for a moment, then returned to normal.
"Only him?"
"Recently, Shen Ling'er has joined the group."
Gu Moyuan looked at him.
Gu Moran sighed, the bitterness on his face heavier than the tea leaves in the teacup.
She would constantly nag her brother, "Husband, it's time to take your medicine."
Three meals a day, without fail.
"Replenish Qi in the morning, replenish blood at noon, and nourish the kidneys in the evening."
"If my brother drinks even a sip less, she'll stay right there and refuse to leave."
As Gu Moran finished speaking, he picked up his teacup, smelled it, and then put it down with feigned disgust.
"Your Majesty, this tea may be so-so, but at least it's not medicine."
"You have no idea how bitter that medicine was; the mere sight of the bowl made me want to write my will."
"Alas, my brother is in trouble! Look at me, I've married six wives, how impressive! But... alas."
Gu Moyuan asked, "What do you mean?"
Gu Moran adopted a shy and embarrassed expression, lowered her voice, and looked utterly desperate.
"My six wives are all as stubborn as mules, only Shen Ling'er is willing... sigh!"
"But every time she came to see my brother, it was to persuade him to take the medicine."
"After you finish drinking, you have to turn the bowl upside down to show her."
"Your humble brother, the esteemed Prince Yi, has already fallen to such a lowly position within the palace..."
After saying that, Gu Moran squeezed her legs together and sadly looked up at the palace roof at a 45-degree angle.
The crown prince stared at him for three breaths, then felt slightly relieved.
Six families related by marriage.
It looks impressive.
But right now, it seems that only the Shen Family the Imperial Medical Bureau can truly be of use to the third prince.
As for whether Shen Ling'er was helping him recuperate or simply fearing he would live a life of widowhood, that was not something he, as the Crown Prince, should concern himself with.
The tea leaves in the teacup floated on the surface of the water and did not sink for a long time.
Gu Moyuan thought for a moment, then tentatively spoke again.
"Third brother, you're married now. You can't keep fooling around like this. You need to be more ambitious and put Father's mind at ease."
"Your Majesty is right, I also wish to make progress!"
Gu Moran lowered his head and adjusted the fan pendant.
"But I get sleepy as soon as I try to study; I'm really disappointing."
"You know perfectly well that I've been like this since I was little."
As for Father, he's used to it.
"Third brother, I've watched you grow up since you were a child. We're brothers, so please don't blame me for being so talkative."
Gu Moran looked at him.
The prince's tone slowed down.
"You've married six wives. Some in the court criticize you for being absurd, while others say... you're plotting something."
"But Your Majesty, I was indeed being absurd; I have no excuse."
"Third brother, don't worry."
Gu Moyuan looked at him.
"Do you know that the Xie Clan siblings' performance at the poetry gathering, coupled with your few words of support, even Eunuch Zhang, who serves Father Emperor, send someone to inquire about it?"
Upon hearing this...
Gu Moran didn't reply, yawned, and picked at his ear.
Gu Moyuan looked into his eyes.
"But I believe that my third brother did the right thing."
"Protect your own people when you should."
He continued, "From now on, I will certainly protect my third brother."
Gu Moran glanced at him.
This statement should not be repeated.
They joined together to form a line.
To accept something lightly makes one seem carefree and thoughtless.
He stood up and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"With Your Majesty's words, I am truly relieved and deeply grateful!"
After saying that, he grinned and added another sentence.
"Father is wise, and elder brother is benevolent. Your humble servant's role in this life is simply to eat, drink, and have fun in the background, providing them with as much enjoyment as possible."
Gu Moyuan looked at him, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Gu Moran chuckled and patted his chest.
"My brother's ambition is nothing but fine wine and beautiful women."
"Ah! Your Majesty, I haven't been this happy in a long time. I'll definitely treat you to some wine and flowers later."
The prince raised an eyebrow.
Gu Moran immediately changed her tune.
"No, no, no, Your Majesty's status is too noble; drinking and lavish banquets are inappropriate."
"Then this humble subject will... request Your Majesty to look at the geese."
Gu Moyuan stared at him for a long time before finally bursting into laughter.
"Third brother's mouth is even better at talking than it was at the poetry gathering."
Gu Moran walked towards the door, but after taking two steps, she turned back.
"Brother, your tea is so-so. Next time, please remember to treat me to something more expensive."
Gu Moyuan said, "I'll have someone prepare it in advance next time."
Gu Moran blinked.
"Then I take it seriously. My eldest brother still loves me the most."
Gu Moyuan said, "That's how it is."
Gu Moran and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Your Majesty is magnanimous."
Gu Moyuan looked at him.
"Take care, Third Brother."
Gu Moran exited through the side gate of the Eastern Palace.
The sound of the carriage faded into the distance.
The smile on Gu Moyuan's face also faded.
He picked up the teacup, but didn't drink it.
Han Zheng.
A guard in black stepped out from behind the screen, clasped his hands in a fist and knelt down.
Your Highness.
Gu Moyuan asked, "From the moment the third brother entered until he left, did you notice anything?"
Han Zheng kept his head down.
"The three halls' words and actions are not much different from before, only their steps are no longer unsteady."
Gu Moyuan tapped his finger on the rim of the cup.
My heart tightened.
"You mean?"
Han Zheng paused.
"His Third Prince's internal energy and blood are surging, making him much stronger than before."
Gu Moyuan raised his eyes.
"You mean, he really entered the world of martial arts?"
He himself found it absurd to say that.
The third son has been a pretty face but no substance for the past twenty years.
He's sleepy when I ask him to read.
He got sick when we told him to practice martial arts.
If you push him to improve, he'll give you a real headache on the spot.
Why would someone suddenly experience a surge of blood and qi?
Even the geese in the Eastern Palace who practice martial arts are more believable than him.
Han Zheng said, "The Third Prince's appearance doesn't seem to be the result of arduous cultivation."
"While talent is essential for mastering martial arts, it also requires diligent practice; such a transformation cannot be achieved overnight."
The Third Prince's blood and qi appear to be surging, but there's no trace of a martial artist's skill in doing so.
"It's more like... they received help from outside."
Gu Moyuan remained silent for a moment.
In the blink of an eye, he understood.
It must be Shen Ling'er.
The third son just mentioned that he takes medicine every day.
Three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
After drinking, they had to pour out the bowl to verify their identity.
With daily nourishment, your Qi and blood will naturally flow smoothly!
It matches up perfectly, it matches up perfectly.
Gu Moyuan laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.
Once he started laughing, he couldn't stop; his laughter grew even louder.
Han Zheng knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head.
Gu Moyuan put down his teacup and laughed, "My third brother is quite the ladies' man, but he's also suffered quite a bit. Someone, come here!"
The steward standing nearby quickly stepped forward.
What are your orders, Your Highness?
Gu Moyuan said, "Go to the storeroom and pick out two tiger whips, then deliver them to Prince Yi's Residence."
The head eunuch was stunned.
Gu Moyuan's smile hadn't faded.
"As the eldest brother, I heard that my third brother has been working hard lately, so I specially prepared some nourishing food for him."
"Tell him not to let my good intentions go to waste."
The head eunuch suppressed a laugh and bowed as he withdrew.
Gu Moyuan picked up his teacup again.
The vigilance remains.
But it's much lighter than before.
A third brother who's constantly being chased by the Shen Family's medicine bowl is far more agreeable than a third brother who secretly holds the cards of six families.
On the other side.
Gu Moran the carriage.
The curtain was drawn, and the smile on his face vanished.
The system panel pops up.
[Current emotional state of the Crown Prince: 59% wary, 23% benevolent, 18% testing the waters.]
--
I stayed up until 4 a. m. last night and woke up at 9 a. m. I'll add one more chapter and get back to writing. Thank you all for your support.
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