Gu Moran placed the bottle of medicinal wine on the table.
They started fighting?
Are Murong Xue and Lin Qingdai planning to turn the Prince's mansion into a martial arts training ground?
This is the first time there has been a conflict within the Prince's residence. If it cannot be contained, the subsequent six courtyards could become even more chaotic than the imperial court.
He grabbed his coat and left.
Who will make the first move?
The servant followed behind.
" Batuer said he needed to fetch water for the horse, Zitang said that the young lady urgently needed water to sharpen her sword. There was only one bucket, Batuer, being strong, snatched it. Then Zitang started tearing at her hair ornaments."
Gu Moran stopped in her tracks.
"You can even make a scene just to get water?"
The servant looked miserable.
"The two of them were like enemies, but Zitang was clearly no match for Batuer, so she picked up a broom again."
The wellhead was not far from the stable; the air was thick with the smell of water and mud, and several sets of footprints had already been left on the ground.
Batuer stood by the well, a half-full bucket of water beside him, and a tuft of broom stalks draped over his shoulder.
Zitang stood opposite her, her hair disheveled, still clutching a broom, her face badly swollen.
Murong Xue stood on the left, sword in hand, not yet drawn, but her stance already shielded several maids from the Azure Wolf Courtyard behind her.
Lin Qingdai stood on the right, sword in hand, tip pointing downwards. Zitang hid half a step behind her, still complaining.
"Miss, she laughed at me for not knowing martial arts, saying that hitting people with a broom was like herding ducks."
Batuer immediately retorted.
I didn't say duck, I said goose.
Zitang was even angrier.
"Did you hear that? She even changed her tune and insulted me."
Lin Qingdai looked at Batuer.
"You're good at giving critiques?"
Batuer puffed out his chest.
" Zitang's broom was thrown too high; she pushed it too hard with her shoulder and didn't have a firm footing."
Gu Moran arrived just in time to hear this.
He leaned against a pillar, first smelling the dampness of the well water, then the metallic scent of Lin Qingdai's sword sheath.
The combination of these two flavors suggests that tonight is not a good time to discuss grand principles.
He coughed.
"Everyone's pretty busy."
Lin Qingdai turned her head.
You've come at the perfect time.
Murong Xue also looked at him.
Who sets the rules for this household?
Gu Moran walked to the middle.
"The rules of the Prince's Palace are set by me."
Lin Qingdai sneered.
"Then you decide."
Murong Xue raised her chin.
"I'll listen too."
Gu Moran around.
Batuer a bucket, Zitang holds a broom, Azure Wolf Courtyard needs to wash the horse, and Iron Plum Courtyard needs to sharpen a knife.
No one can be favored.
He looked at the well.
"Actually, there are two wells in the mansion."
The crowd fell silent.
Gu Moran continued, "This bite will be used for washing horses, that bite will be used for sharpening knives."
Zitang was stunned.
"But that bite is in the back of the kitchen."
Gu Moran nodded.
"If you're in a hurry, whoever gets their share first gets to use it."
Lin Qingdai frowned.
"Didn't you just say that you're washing horses and sharpening knives at the same time?"
Gu Moran very composed.
"I was referring to suggestions on how to use it."
Murong Xue asked, "Then how exactly should it be divided?"
Gu Moran pointed to the well bucket.
"There are two buckets."
Batuer said, "There's only one now."
" Uncle Fu, buy nine more tomorrow."
Uncle Fu stood at the back.
Your Highness?
Gu Moran looked at him.
"Is the Prince's mansion so poor that it can't even afford a bucket?"
Uncle Fu said, "We can afford it, but we're worried the kitchen might think His Highness is going to open a bathhouse."
Gu Moran turned to the crowd.
"Starting tomorrow, two buckets each for the Azure Wolf Courtyard, two buckets for the Iron Plum Courtyard, two buckets for the kitchen, and the remaining four will be hung by the well. Line up and each person will draw one bucket of water at a time."
Lin Qingdai stared at him.
"And tonight?"
Gu Moran glanced at the half-full bucket of water in Batuer's hand.
" Batuer will give the bucket to Zitang tonight."
Batuer's eyes widened.
Your Highness?
Gu Moran his hand.
"Let me finish. Look what you've done to Zitang, you deserve to be punished."
Zitang's complexion improved.
Gu Moran added, " Batuer, go help Zitang sharpen her sword."
Zitang immediately cried out.
"She's good at nagging?"
Lin Qingdai raised her sword by half an inch.
Gu Moran looked at Batuer.
"Aren't you good at spotting weaknesses? Can't you sharpen your sword?"
Batuer hesitated.
"Meeting."
"Then let's go."
Murong Xue looked at him.
Where is my horse?
Gu Moran turned to look at Lin Qingdai.
" Madam Lin, the bucket is yours. Use the water in this bucket to wash the princess's horse first, Batuer will fetch another bucket to sharpen Zitang's sword."
Lin Qingdai nodded.
Murong Xue remained silent.
Zitang whispered, "Miss, I'm afraid she'll wear the sword down to nothing if you let her sharpen it."
Batuer disagreed.
"My skills with weapons are more refined than yours."
Zitang glared at her.
"Shut up."
Gu Moran the decision.
"It's settled then."
Lin Qingdai looked at him.
"Your rules are incredibly stupid."
Gu Moran smiled.
"One advantage of stupid rules is that no one is embarrassed to admit they don't understand them."
Murong Xue sheathed the knife at her waist.
" The Central Plains royal family relies entirely on buckets to manage its household?"
Gu Moran said, "A bucket can hold water, and it can also hold anger."
Lin Qingdai scoffed.
Remember to visit Iron Plum Courtyard tomorrow.
Gu Moran a numbness in her lower back.
"Is there something you need, Madam?"
"Practice dodging barrels."
Uncle Fu lowered his head, suppressing his laughter.
Murong Xue glanced at Lin Qingdai.
He'll be coming to Azure Wolf Courtyard tomorrow night.
Lin Qingdai looked back at her.
"The day belongs to me, the night belongs to you?"
Silence returned to the well.
Zitang hugged the broom tightly.
Batuer looked at the sky.
Gu Moran his hand.
"This topic is dangerous, but it resonates with me deeply."
Lin Qingdai sheathed her sword.
" Zitang, let's go."
Murong Xue also spoke up.
" Batuer, go sharpen your sword."
Batuer walked towards Zitang, but after taking only two steps, he turned back to look at Murong Xue.
"Princess, am I really going to make things difficult?"
Murong Xue said, "Grind."
As Lin Qingdai led Zitang away, she glanced back at Gu Moran.
"Your method doesn't make sense."
Gu Moran said, "There's a reason why a fight can be avoided."
Lin Qingdai did not refute.
As she walked through the corridor, the scabbard of her sword brushed against the jade pendant at her waist, producing a clear, resonant sound.
Murong Xue stood by the well without moving.
Gu Moran looked at the wolf pattern on the hilt of her sword and knew that this ordeal was far from over.
She stayed behind alone; that's when the real words were about to be spoken.
Sure enough, after everyone had dispersed, Murong Xue spoke.
"Aren't you afraid I'll actually use a knife?"
Gu Moran glanced at the well water.
The moon's reflection on the water was shattered beyond recognition.
He took his hand out of his sleeve; his palm, which had been resting on the well's edge, was covered in damp mud.
"Afraid."
Murong Xue looked at him.
"Afraid they'll still stand in the middle?"
Gu Moran said, "Because I know your knife won't be used to harm your family."
Murong Xue's hand, which was holding the knife, stopped on the hilt.
The well was damp with wind, and the snorting of Gray Wind came from the direction of the stable. In the distance, from the Iron Plum Courtyard, Zitang could be heard scolding Batuer for touching the sword.
Murong Xue looked down at her hands.
The hand slowly loosened its grip on the knife handle.
"Family?"
Gu Moran didn't make her statement completely.
"You live in the royal palace, Batuer eats the royal palace's food, and Gray Wind drinks the royal palace's water."
Murong Xue raised her eyes.
"So?"
"So we can buy ten well buckets, but we can't be short even one family member."
She didn't answer immediately.
People from the Northern Territory don't like beating around the bush.
This time, however, she avoided looking at the well opening.
"On the grasslands, fighting for water can lead to death."
Gu Moran said, "The Prince's Mansion won't give you what the grasslands can't, but I will."
Murong Xue stared at him for a long time before finally pushing the knife behind her waist.
I need four buckets tomorrow.
Gu Moran immediately said, "The princess just tacitly agreed to both."
"One for Gray Wind, one for Maroon, one for me, and one for Batuer."
" Batuer is alone too?"
"She talks too much; she needs to wash her mouth."
Gu Moran nodded.
"Rational."
Batuer called out from afar.
"Princess, I heard you."
Murong Xue turned around.
"Then say less."
Batuer immediately shut up.
The system panel pops up.
[System notification: Murong Xue's favorability +13.]
[Current favorability: +25.]
[Added tag: Family.]
Gu Moran had just finished reading when another line of red text appeared.
[Warning: The activity level of the Heavenly Dao in the Chu Tianxing line has slightly increased.]
Murong Xue noticed the change in his expression.
"Trouble again?"
Gu Moran up and gazed towards the south of the city in the distance.
"Um."
Murong Xue asked, "Who?"
"A doctor who charges five coins for a single visit."