Read Novel Full Chapter 141 140
141: 140 141: 140 The young prince, still recovering from his injuries, was scolded by the venerable imperial doctors for half an hour after arriving at the Imperial Hospital.
His injuries had worsened from overexertion, and the cold wind outside had aggravated his condition.
The doctors, while reprimanding him, hurriedly prepared medicine.
The concoction was pitch black, bitter, and smelled foul, enough to make anyone cringe before even drinking it.
The medicinal smell almost knocked Gu Ai out, but he was stunned to see Lu Chengru calmly take the bowl and slowly drink it down, one sip at a time.
The elderly doctors, who had been brewing medicine for decades, were delighted that someone appreciated their concoction for once.
Their white beards nearly curled in joy.
They gave a dismissive glance at Gu Ai, who clearly couldn’t recognize a good thing when he saw it, and pulled out a packet of licorice candy from their sleeves, handing it to the young prince with great satisfaction.
These doctors were revered figures in the medical field, brought back to the Imperial Hospital for their retirement.
Gu Ai, who had tasted the licorice candy before, quickly swapped the candy in the young prince’s hands for two milk candies while the elderly doctor was tidying up.
Lu Deng blinked, instinctively looking up.
“Eat this.” Gu Ai held his hand, lowering his voice to caution him, then glanced back at the doctor to ensure he didn’t notice anything before solemnly shaking his head at the prince.
“That licorice candy… don’t eat it.
Don’t even try it.” It was unclear what the licorice candy tasted like, but it was enough to make the customarily composed prime minister show an expression of lingering fear.
…It reminded Lu Deng vaguely of something from the past.
Lu Deng stared at him, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Clutching the round milk candy in his palm, the smile spread from his eyes in a light, joyful bloom.
He often kept a stern face, rarely showing a softer expression.
But now, as he smiled, it was like a spring breeze melting ice, catching Gu Ai off guard and stirring his heart.
This time, it was Gu Ai’s turn to be taken aback.
Lu Chengru obediently ate the candy, his expression so peaceful and gentle that it bordered on submission.
His cheeks puffed slightly from the candy in his mouth, moving lightly under Gu Ai’s gaze, while a strand of hair that had been tousled in the garden hung down beside his ear.
Gu Ai couldn’t resist reaching out, gently tucking the loose strand behind his ear.
The young prince was still very young, with fine, soft hairs on the tips of his ears.
When Gu Ai’s fingers accidentally brushed against them, they immediately flushed with a smooth, reddish hue.
Gu Ai’s heart softened, and he smiled at him.
“Your Highness…” He barely got two words out before the prince’s gaze reminded him.
Gu Ai quickly corrected himself, “Chengru.” Lu Chengru’s eyebrows curved in satisfaction as he continued to eat his candy.
He carefully tucked the other candy into his pouch and wrapped the jade pendant in a piece of leftover fabric, meticulously stowing it away.
Gu Ai had initially planned to ask him about his studies.
At least, he needed to know what books he was reading and what he was currently learning so he could tailor his lessons accordingly.
But seeing the young prince’s serious and almost solemn expression, his heart softened once more.
He swallowed his words and gently took the boy’s wrist.
“You don’t need to hide it away like this.
If you like it, wear it.
If it breaks, I’ll give you another one.” Lu Chengru shook his head while still sucking on his candy.
“If it breaks, I’ll be heartbroken.” Gu Ai was speechless for a moment.
He wanted to comfort him further but remembered how those arrogant noblemen had tossed the prince’s books around to mock him.
He swallowed his words again and instead straightened the young prince’s collar with care.
The young prince’s expression remained calm as if nothing could rattle him, which reminded Gu Ai of the way he had calmly drunk the bitter medicine earlier.
Perhaps he had grown so accustomed to hardship that it no longer felt unbearable.
After all, if there was no room left for resistance, even the bitterest things could feel ordinary, allowing him to go through life passively.
Gu Ai suddenly felt glad that he had impulsively bought those few pieces of candy last night.
The medicine was already so bitter.
How could he not have some candy to ease it?
The young prince sat on the bed, engrossed in savoring the candy, the corners of his lips lifted in a soft, gentle arc.
He hung his pouch back on his waist.
Gu Ai knelt in front of him, raising his head slightly to look at him, his tone gentle.
“Chengru, would you like to study with me?” Lu Deng looked up quickly, and the light in his eyes quietly brightened.
“You know my situation.
I may not be able to teach you for long.
But for as long as I can, you can learn whatever you want from me.
It doesn’t matter what it is.” Gu Ai smiled, continuing patiently, “If you’re willing, you can temporarily stay at the prime minister’s residence starting tomorrow.
There’s no need to go to the Imperial Academy anymore.” Staying at the prime minister’s residence!
Lu Deng’s heart skipped with excitement, and he couldn’t help but bite his lip, looking up hesitantly.
Gu Ai, who had been watching him closely, noticed the hesitation and asked, “What’s the matter?
Is there something troubling you…” Before he could finish, Lu Chengru, with his arm still in a sling, grabbed his wrist and asked, “Why not start today?” Gu Ai was stunned for a moment, then smiled, nodding in amusement.
“Alright, I’ll send someone to notify your residence.” The servants at Prince Yi’s residence had been scared out of their wits by Gu Ai, and they probably wouldn’t dare to slack off.
If he were to take the young prince back with him today, they might even think he had gone missing.
Gu Ai considered sending someone to explain and was thinking of how to protect Lu Chengru from being dragged into any political retribution when the boy, who had been sitting quietly on the bed, suddenly couldn’t sit still anymore.
Excited, he rushed off to find the elderly doctors, eager to go home.
The young prince, who had obediently drunk his medicine and curbed his temper outside, quickly charmed the doctors with just a few words, who happily let him go with reminders to take care.
Before Gu Ai could react, Lu Chengru had already pulled him out of the hospital, heading straight for the carriage.
“Careful.” The doctors had set Lu Chengru’s shoulder in a splint to protect it.
Seeing the young prince wobbling as he climbed into the carriage, Gu Ai reached out to steady him and climbed in after him, sitting beside him.
He smiled warmly as their eyes met.
“No need to go back to Prince Yi’s estate.
We’ll return to the prime minister’s residence.” The sound of a whip cracked through the air, and the carriage slowly began to move, startling a flock of winter sparrows into flight.
It was going to snow soon.
Lu Chengru settled into life at the prime minister’s residence.
A young prince with no power or influence, who wasn’t even related to the emperor, didn’t attract much attention, even when he lived with the prime minister.
In contrast, Gu Ai faced ridicule from his political enemies, who claimed he must have been frightened by the noble families’ impeachment and had brought in a powerless prince as a shield.
Gu Ai didn’t mind the misunderstanding.
He never denied the speculations.
He simply continued his daily routines of attending court and handling governmental affairs, all while diligently teaching Lu Chengru, content and at peace.
The rumors and gossip were only loud for a few days but soon quieted down.
It was cold and snowy outside.
When Lu Deng awoke from his nap, the bed was still warm.
The young prince was treated as an honored guest and placed in the best room in the prime minister’s residence.
The underfloor heating kept the room warm, and Gu Ai would come to check on him before leaving for court each morning, tucking the blanket around him and discreetly slipping a warm hand warmer into his hands.
The servants in the residence all knew that the young prince was Gu Ai’s student and treated him with care and indulgence.
Everything from his food to his clothing was personally overseen by Gu Ai, to the point where the officials in the household began to wonder if the prime minister had some untold youthful folly.
The warmth of the room made one lazy, and Lu Deng lay on the soft snow mink fur for a while before finally getting up.
The late emperor meticulously renovated the prime minister’s residence to ensure the family’s legacy for generations to come.
Every corner of the residence was luxurious and dignified, and staying here was far more comfortable than the dilapidated, ghostly mansion where the young prince had lived before.
Not used to being served by others, Lu Deng dressed himself, ate breakfast, and, wrapped in a rabbit-fur cloak, went to the study.
He leaned against the window, peering out.
Snowfall after the new year usually wasn’t heavy, but this year, it had been falling for three days, covering both the palace and the city in a thick blanket of white.
A trail of hoofprints was already barely visible under the snow.
Gu Ai had gone to court and would likely return later.
These past few days had been difficult in the court.
The emperor’s weakness in controlling the court had become more apparent, emboldening the noble families.
They loudly debated in court, listing accusations and demanding that Gu Ai be removed from his position as prime minister and regent.
These noble families had been dominant for decades, even centuries, to the point where they barely acknowledged the emperor’s authority.
They all believed that if they could topple Gu Ai, they could secure their foundations against the threat of reform.
Little did they know that the emperor had deliberately pitted them against each other.
Once Gu Ai fell, it would be the noble families’ turn to suffer.
“Your Highness, the prime minister has gone to court.
He instructed that you study independently, and when he returns, he’ll teach you…” A servant respectfully spoke from the doorway.
Seeing the young prince’s face pale slightly from the cold, the servant hurriedly poured a cup of hot tea and brought it to him.
“Please be careful not to catch a cold, or the prime minister will worry.” Lu Deng turned back, thanked him, and returned to his seat with the tea.
Now that he had figured out the loophole in the OOC (out-of-character) assessment system, life was much better than before.
Although everyone still viewed Lu Chengru as an arrogant and rebellious prince, he was now Gu Ai’s student.
Logically, that meant he had to learn to be polite and well-mannered; otherwise, it would reflect poorly on Gu Ai’s character.
The young prince had become well-behaved, and the people in the prime minister’s residence were less judgmental.
Especially since Lu Chengru had arrived with his arm in a sling, pale as a ghost, speaking only when spoken to, and requiring Gu Ai’s personal care even to leave the house, it was hard not to feel sorry for him.
The servants, having cared for him for a few days, began to understand what kind of life he had led before.
Their hearts softened, and their attitudes towards him naturally improved.
When Gu Ai wasn’t around, Lu Chengru spoke even less, often sitting quietly in a daze.
The servant hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and talking to him softly.
“Your Highness, don’t worry… the prime minister remembers that today is the Lantern Festival.
He even mentioned that he would take you around the city tonight.
But the court meeting couldn’t be missed, and something came up that delayed him… When the prime minister returns, you’ll see him.” The servant spoke carefully, and there seemed to be nothing wrong with his words.
But Lu Deng instinctively felt that something was off.
He frowned slightly, setting his teacup down.
“What happened to the prime minister?” The servant, startled by his sharp intuition, hesitated before awkwardly looking away.
“Your Highness, there’s no need to worry.
It’s just that something happened in court today, and the prime minister may be delayed for a while…” If it were just a minor issue, there would have been no need to send a servant back to take care of him.
In the plot, Gu Ai’s trouble wasn’t supposed to happen until spring, but now that he was living in the prime minister’s residence, there was no guarantee that his presence wouldn’t affect the storyline.
Lu Deng’s expression darkened, and he stood up to leave, but the servant quickly stopped him.
“Your Highness, please don’t worry!
The court was just particularly heated today, and the emperor became angry, punishing both sides involved by making them kneel on the steps.
There’s no telling when they’ll be allowed to get up…” The court had been in turmoil for days, and no one had expected the emperor to take such a drastic step suddenly.
Gu Ai had been worried about news reaching Prince Yi’s estate and feared that Lu Chengru would wake up and panic when he didn’t see him, so he had specifically sent a servant back to look after him.
If the young prince couldn’t be calmed now, Gu Ai would surely reprimand the servant later.
The servant was torn between concern for the situation at the palace and fear of disobeying Gu Ai’s orders.
He stood his ground, saying things meant to comfort the prince but seemed to comfort himself more.
The young prince, his arm still in a sling, looked up, his face slightly pale but his gaze calm and clear.
“What about the others?” The servant froze.
“What?” “The noble families, are they still kneeling?” Lu Deng’s voice was calm as he mentally instructed the system to pull up a broadcast of the situation outside the palace.
Both sides of the argument were punished, including Gu Ai and the noble families.
Under the emperor’s deliberate indulgence these past few days, the noble families had become so arrogant that they no longer respected the throne.
Today’s punishment of kneeling was something they would never accept.
But Gu Ai was different.
No matter who else might disregard laws and rules, Gu Ai could not, even if someone wanted his life.
As long as it was within the law, even if it was a malicious, wrongful accusation, he would still submit.
If the person leading the reform couldn’t uphold the law, the reforms would be meaningless.
The emperor wasn’t foolish.
He understood this as well.
Today’s punishment was clearly directed at Gu Ai alone.
The servant stammered, unable to speak, and kept his head down to block the prince.
Lu Deng glanced at the still-active OOC evaluation bar, took a deep breath, and fully embraced his character’s original persona.
He pushed the servant aside and strode towards the door.
“Your Highness!” The servant was alarmed and hurried to catch up.
“The prime minister is a law-abiding official.
He can’t be the one to defy the emperor’s orders openly.
If Your Highness rushes over…” “I know.” Before the servant could finish, he was cut off by the prince’s calm voice as he reached the doorway.
The young prince, who had been quiet and well-behaved for so long in the prime minister’s residence, stood tall and straight.
He casually took a whip from where it hung on the door, weighed it in his hand, and turned slightly.
“But I’m the reckless and arrogant prince.” The servant stood frozen in place.
Lu Deng left the prime minister’s residence, mounted a fine horse, and kicked the horse into a gallop with one hand on the reins, racing towards the palace.
The snow was still falling.
Three days of heavy snow had accumulated thickly on the ground.
Lu Deng galloped through the streets, tossing his identification tag to the gate guards as he passed.
Without stopping, he sped past the barriers, heading straight for the Hall of Purple Radiance.
As a prince living in the palace, no one could stop him from entering.
Even if someone wanted to cite the rule against riding in the palace, the emperor had deliberately turned a blind eye to such behavior.
If the crown prince could ride recklessly through the streets, there was no reason a prince two generations of his senior couldn’t do the same.
The guards exchanged confused glances, unsure whether to stop him.
Before they could decide, the rider had already disappeared into the distance.
Outside the Hall of Purple Radiance, the snow had been swept away, only for more to fall, forming a thin layer on the ground.
A lone figure remained kneeling upright on the intricately carved white jade steps.
The palace was quiet, and the sound of galloping hooves was rarely heard here.
The guards and eunuchs were alarmed, instinctively preparing to call for backup, but a crack of the whip from the rider made their legs tremble with fear.
Gu Ai’s heart stirred, and he turned to look, his gaze sharpening.
Lu Chengru, dressed in a white satin robe with silver embroidery, exuded an air of undeniable nobility.
Despite his arm being in a sling, he looked neither pitiful nor weak.
With one hand, he steered his horse up the jade steps.
“Chengru!” Gu Ai’s heart clenched, and he called out urgently, “What are you doing here?
This has nothing to do with you, go back!” But Lu Chengru had already pulled the reins, dismounting with a swift movement and walking towards him.
The eunuchs and guards, left by the emperor to humiliate Gu Ai, hurried to stop him.
“Your Highness, the prime minister is being punished.
You mustn’t interfere…” “Is the prime minister the only one being punished?” The young prince, now rid of the gentleness that had been nurtured over the past few days, had a cold, sharp look in his eyes.
With one hand, he used the whip to block a eunuch, continuing towards Gu Ai.
The guard hesitated, caught off guard by his question.
“N-no…” “Prince Yi, those arrogant nobles have shown no respect for authority, not even for the emperor.” The chief eunuch, understanding the emperor’s intentions, approached with a half-smile, bowing slightly as he spoke.
“Prime Minister Gu is setting an example for the officials.
We know Your Highness is close to the prime minister, but please reconsider and do not tarnish his reputation…” “Who said I’m close to the prime minister?” Lu Chengru looked up, his expression cold, as he lashed his whip at the snow next to Gu Ai.
Snow and ice sprayed up, lightly covering the prime minister’s robes.
Gu Ai suddenly realized what the young prince intended to do.
Seeing the cold, determined expression on the prince’s face, Gu Ai’s heart sank further.
He sternly scolded, “Chengru!
This is no place for your reckless behavior.
How much of what I taught you do you remember?
Why are you still acting so unruly?
Go back at once!” “Sir, I’ve always been unruly and never enjoyed studying.” Before Gu Ai could finish, Lu Chengru crouched before him, gently brushing the snow from his temples.
Gu Ai’s heart skipped a beat, and just as he was about to speak, Lu Chengru’s hand slid down, seemingly by accident, pressing against one of his acupoints.
A surge of energy flowed through, sealing his voice.
“I was led astray by others and rode recklessly in the streets.
It wasn’t a serious crime, but I was fined a thousand taels, ordered to face the wall for ten days, and was even flogged.” Lu Chengru lowered his gaze, his tone returning to that of the unruly prince as he slowly stood up.
“Tell me, should I seek revenge?” The eunuch had already said as much and now stammered in response, “P-Prince Yi, this matter…” “The emperor ordered him to kneel, but I don’t think that’s enough.
I want to kick him while he’s down.
Wouldn’t that be helping the emperor vent his anger?” Lu Chengru spoke slowly, bending the whip in his hand and pressing it against Gu Ai’s shoulder.
“But doing it here would ruin the pristine snow.
My estate is quiet, where no one would be bothered.
I’ll take him back and ‘discipline’ him properly.
What do you think, Eunuch?” As the emperor’s uncle, Lu Chengru held no real power, but no one could defy the generational hierarchy.
Moreover, the emperor, deliberately appearing weak to give the impression of being easy to manipulate, couldn’t afford to offend his elder uncle at this time.
The eunuch’s face flushed with panic, unsure whether to agree or not.
Despite the cold, he was sweating profusely.
Lu Chengru smirked and brought his horse closer.
Perhaps fearing that Gu Ai wouldn’t cooperate, he effortlessly lifted the prime minister, threw him onto the horse, and, with a crack of the whip, galloped down the jade steps, heading straight for his estate.