Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

"Hurry up and bring all those letters."

Sheng Hong hurriedly waved his arms, urging him repeatedly.

Seeing that Wang Ruofu remained motionless for a long time, Sheng Hong felt a sudden emptiness in his heart. He stared wide-eyed and couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that it was all burned? This could be His Majesty's calligraphy, an auspicious omen that could be passed down for generations."

"Mother Liu".

Wang Ruofu felt extremely guilty and kept asking questions.

Liu Mama still had a happy smile on her face and reassured her, "Miss, please don't worry. Although you instructed us to deal with those letters, they are still in that basket and haven't been taken away by the servants yet."

"Originally, I thought it would leave something for the young lady to remember, but I never expected it would come in so useful now."

"Aunt Liu, you are truly a benefactor to the Sheng family."

Wang Ruofu, as if she had survived a disaster, held Liu's mother's hand tightly for a long time, filled with relief.

Sheng Hong, who was standing to the side, was also scared half to death. When he looked at Liu Mama, this lord who usually only thought about the interests of his family and was extremely selfish actually felt a little grateful: "Then please, Liu Mama, quickly bring me that calligraphy that is suspected to be His Majesty's."

"Yes, my lord."

Liu Mama nodded in agreement and was just about to leave when Sheng Hong, impatient as ever, led the rest of the Sheng family to Liu Mama's small side room.

Liu's mother took out a stack of letters that Hua Lan and Liu Hong had exchanged in the past from the drawer.

Sheng Hong carefully pulled it out and looked through it.

Looking at the handwriting above, the strokes are vigorous and powerful, possessing a majestic and awe-inspiring style. How could a poor scholar possibly develop such skill?

Even if he isn't a master calligrapher, he's probably not far off.

"My lord, have you noticed anything amiss?"

Wang Ruofu asked in a low voice.

Sheng Hong shook his head: "Even the imperial edict that the eunuch just handed over to my Sheng family was only written by someone else and stamped with His Majesty's seal."

"His Majesty only utters a few words when reviewing memorials in the past."

"Especially in the current new dynasty, the emperor has already made it clear that memorials can be ornate, but not complicated."

"Therefore, it is said that during the time in Jinling, all civil and military officials presented their reports frankly and directly, in order to improve the efficiency of the government and support the country and the people."

"And His Majesty's comments are very brief, usually just 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable,' nothing more. Even if there are memorials with His Majesty's handwriting, they are probably just a few words, and it is impossible to make out any details."

Sheng Hong recounted everything in detail, and Wang Ruofu couldn't help but sigh softly.

"It turned out to be a false hope."

"Just now, I really thought that the young lady had such a great connection with His Majesty that she might even enter the palace and be granted the title of some concubine or empress."

Lin Qinshuang's gloating voice suddenly rang out.

Normally, this would be within the inner quarters of the family.

No one would care about what she said.

But today, this matter is closely related to the future of the Sheng family. Even though Sheng Hong used to favor his concubines over his wife, he couldn't help but frown and look in the direction of the voice with displeasure when he heard this.

Lin Qinshuang's heart tightened, and she quickly changed the subject.

"Does the young lady know who this letter-writing gentleman is? And what was the scene like when we met in the past? These are all of utmost importance to the future of the Sheng family."

Lin Qinshuang's words instantly attracted everyone's attention, and even Sheng Hong's reprimand, which was on the tip of his tongue, was temporarily swallowed back.

He looked at his own Hualan, his eyes full of doubt.

"What kind of question is that, young lady? It's so offensive, as if I were really having an affair with another man."

Hua Lan remained calm and first defended herself, then continued, "As I said before, we met by chance, so we only exchanged a few letters."

"What I have discussed so far is nothing more than poetry, songs, and the events of war and national turmoil in recent years."

"Mother has already read the contents of this letter."

"As for where he is from... I truly do not know, Father and Mother."

Hua Lan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Cai Huan, the maid beside her mother. "That day, Cai Huan accompanied me on my outing."

"Reporting to Master and Madam, that young man's accent sounds somewhat like that of someone from Guangling."

Caihuan was originally from Guangling, which is why she could say it with such certainty.

"It's a match again."

Sheng Hong's face showed joy, but his tone was somewhat heavy.

After all, so far this matter is just hearsay from the Sheng family, and they must not let it turn into a big misunderstanding in the end.

Otherwise, whether it would be a blessing or a curse for the Sheng family is truly unknown.

That's enough.

At this crucial moment, Old Madam Sheng spoke up again, "At least Hua'er does have someone she can rely on for the rest of her life. Regardless of whether this person is His Majesty in the palace or not, our Sheng family must not take the initiative to do so, otherwise wouldn't that be seen as forcing the emperor to abdicate?"

"It just so happens that Madam is taking on the role of Assistant Lady. While she is busy managing affairs in the palace, she can also bring the women of this family into the palace. Then the truth will naturally come out."

"My mother is wise."

Sheng Hong's eyes brightened slightly, and the heaviness in his heart eased once again.

……

The Imperial Palace, Wende Hall.

While Liu Hong was recuperating, the selection of the assistant wife for the Inner Court Affairs Department, a temporary team temporarily set up in the palace, was finally finalized.

Aside from Madam Wang Ruofu, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Sheng family, the first and foremost assistant wife was none other than the head of the noble families in Tokyo, the old lady of the Duke of England.

As for the last one, Liu Hong thought long and hard, and with a flourish of his pen, he finally settled on the last person on the page.

Princess Pingning, a member of the former imperial family.

She was not only a noble and respected figure in the capital city of Tokyo, the wife of the Duke of Qi, but also the mother of Qi Heng.

Within Liu Hong's court, Qi Heng was no different from Sheng Changbai, the eldest son of the Sheng family, and could enter the Censorate in the future.

After all, Liu Hong had some understanding of the two men's character, and given their talent, he naturally relied on them more than others.

Liu Hong raised his hand, and the page he had just copied was respectfully taken away by the eunuch serving him, who then withdrew to attend to his duties.

Liu Hong was not only accompanied by that chief eunuch.

"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Ningyuan and Commander of the Palace Guards from the previous dynasty have arrived by imperial decree and have been outside the palace for some time."

Seeing Liu Hong stop writing the regulations, the eunuch beside him whispered a reminder.

Upon hearing this, a sickly figure flashed through Liu Hong's mind.

Since taking control of Tokyo, Liu Hong had already dispatched people from the Imperial City Guard to investigate the various figures in the city.

Currently, among the nobles of the former dynasty, besides the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, the Marquis of Ningyuan's mansion is also under Liu Hong's planning.

To repel external threats, one must first secure internal stability.

For him, the new emperor of the Han Dynasty, the most important thing in the city of Tokyo is to eliminate all the hidden dangers in the city so that the officials and families of Jinling can settle down here and make Tokyo the capital of the new Han Dynasty.

Only then can one pursue grand ambitions and hegemony beyond this small world.

Otherwise, the emperor's decree would have no effect even a thousand miles away, becoming nothing more than a piece of waste paper, and Liu Hong, the new emperor, would be ridiculed by the people of the world.

"Let him in."

Liu Hong waved his hand and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The eunuch respectfully withdrew.

At the palace gate, a figure slowly walked in and bowed in greeting.

The man's face showed many changes, and his complexion would turn red from time to time, indicating that he was physically weak and had a cough, but he forcibly suppressed it, just to maintain the proper appearance of a subject and not to tarnish the emperor's discerning eyes.

"You are physically weak but intelligent. If you were not part of the military general Xun Gui's faction, you probably wouldn't even have been able to get the position of Commander of the Palace Guard, which is just a title without any real power."

"What a waste of the strategies cultivated by the Marquis's family's rich heritage."

Liu Hong spoke calmly.

Upon hearing this, Gu Tingyu's eyes still shone brightly, but the expression between his brows seemed to dim considerably.

Even if he just stood there quietly for a while, he seemed a little apprehensive, his body swaying as if he couldn't hold on any longer.

"It's one thing to be born with a defect, but what's truly worrisome is the man-made disaster that happens later in life."

Liu Hong waved his hand and ordered loudly, "Someone, bring a seat! Also, invite the palace physician to come and take a good look at our future new marquis's pulse and treat his frail body."

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

Gu Tingyu sat down shakily, his body occupying only a third of the chair. This upright posture made his broken and withered body feel a little better, and his face was no longer as pale as paper.

Looking at him like this, Liu Hong was afraid that the other party would die right there in the Wende Hall.

Without uttering a word, he buried himself in his work and continued processing the other memorials.

At this moment, Gu Tingyu, though handsome and delicate with a touch of effeminacy, had a solemn expression on his face.

It's about being born with a deficiency.

Gu Tingyu's birth mother, Lady Qin, the original Marquis of Ningyuan's family, was in poor health to begin with, so he was born with a weak and sickly constitution.

No one in the Marquis's mansion ever suspected anything.

Otherwise, the Qin family wouldn't have passed away so early.

But this man-made disaster...

Gu Tingyu certainly didn't think Liu Hong was deliberately deceiving him.

If the emperor of the new Han dynasty, a wise and sagacious ruler, intended to harm him, why would he need to go through such trouble?

Let alone Gu Tingyu's status as a former marquis, even the entire Ningyuan Marquis's mansion would probably be nothing more than an insignificant figure in the eyes of this emperor.

A single casual remark can crush it to dust.

So...

At this moment, Gu Tingyu frowned, his heart churning with many thoughts.

Tatata! ! !

An elderly, pale-faced physician from the Imperial Pharmacy strode in.

The old man looked remarkably well. Although he was old and his beard and hair were all white, he still appeared to have the appearance of a youthful spirit despite his advanced age.

Behind him followed a young man carrying a medicine box. The master and apprentice entered the Wende Hall one after the other with utmost respect.

"Your humble servant, a first-class physician from the Imperial Pharmacy, greets Your Majesty."

Liu Hong didn't raise his head at all, but casually pointed to Gu Tingyu, who was sitting down.

The physician understood immediately, took out a white cloth to pad the wrist from the medicine box, and then bent down to take the pulse carefully.

Then came another long period of observation, listening, questioning, and palpation.

As for Gu Tingyu, he was an acquaintance of Gu Tingyu, who was a first-class physician in the Imperial Pharmacy.

"Your Majesty, I have completed the diagnosis."

Before the physician could finish speaking and was still hesitating, Liu Hong spoke up: "Speak freely."

With Liu Hong as guarantor, the physician was not afraid of getting into trouble.

After all, this isn't a royal secret.

He cupped his hands and replied, "The Marquis was born with a deficiency, which must be due to insufficient vital energy, resulting in a weak constitution. If he were in an ordinary family, he would probably have died young."

"But living in the Marquis's mansion, even if one doesn't live a life of luxury from childhood, one can still be well-nourished. Moreover, being born into a noble family, one has received a constant supply of tonics over the years."

"Has Your Excellency ever been in good health?"

The physician turned to ask Gu Tingyu.

Gu Tingyu thought carefully, then his expression turned solemn, and he nodded slightly: "Indeed, it happened when I was young. After that, my health has been fluctuating, and now it's getting worse and worse."

"I'm afraid... he won't live much longer than expected."

Gu Tingyu said all he wanted to say, his face showing only a bitter smile.

He is still in his prime, yet he utters such disheartening remarks, making him far inferior to even the white-haired physician before him.

Anyone would be unwilling to accept this.

"Then it seems there's no mistake."

The physician was now extremely certain. He then looked at Liu Hong and hardened his heart before speaking again, "It seems that someone in the Marquis's mansion deliberately harmed him."

It must have used blood-dried grass, as well as trace amounts of arsenic and other small amounts of toxic substances.

This dosage is so high that even if you used a silver needle as a vessel to test it, you definitely wouldn't be able to detect it.

It won't work at first, but if it persists for several years or even more than ten years, it will eventually become incurable and lead to death.

Even in the later stages, even if one stops taking the medication, the body is already completely depleted of vital energy. Apart from this physical body, it is empty inside, devoid of any mental energy.

If one remains unaware and continues to take the prescribed medicine as before, one will end up like the Marquis, who is in the prime of his life, yet already possesses the will but not the strength.

The physician sighed, and Gu Tingyu's face instantly turned ashen.

Someone actually wanted to harm him. And this person must be a relative.

Who could it be?

Second uncle?

Third Uncle?

Other members of the clan from other branches?

Or perhaps... someone closer to you?

For a moment, figures flashed through Gu Tingyu's mind. In his speculation about the secrets of the inner quarters, he was somewhat similar to Sheng Hong.

Do you have a prescription?

Liu Hong raised his eyes and said calmly, "My Marquis is so young and vigorous, he cannot be taken away by Heaven."

There are still several years before Gu Tingyu's illness reaches its terminal stage.

It's unlikely that things will ever be completely restored, but at least she won't be like Lin Daiyu anymore, easily blown away by the wind.

If Gu Tingyu were to become a marquis in the new dynasty, Liu Hong would probably find him unusable.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured."

The physician bowed immediately. "Your Highness, you only need to take this medicine daily according to my prescription. After at least a month, your complexion will improve significantly; after half a year, the remaining toxins in your body will be cleared away."

"After six months, one will need to nourish oneself, and after one to two years, one will be able to recover to about 70% of the strength of an ordinary adult."

"As for the rest of the years, you should pay more attention to your physical and mental health, get plenty of rest, and stay healthy so that you can live a peaceful and smooth life."

"Did you understand?"

Liu Hong looked at Gu Tingyu.

"This ailment is not incurable, but I will not interfere in matters concerning this household."

Liu Hong wore a half-smile, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Gu Tingyu behind the imperial desk.

As soon as Gu Tingyu came to his senses, he subconsciously looked up and was immediately flustered. He then immediately stood up, bowed, and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness today has moved me to tears. I am utterly loyal to Your Majesty and will never hesitate to die for you."

"I've heard too many words of loyalty."

Liu Hong chuckled softly.

Gu Tingyu's heart sank slightly, but then Liu Hong's voice rang out again, and he was given a job.

Gu Tingyu's eyes lit up slightly, and the anticipation in his heart resurfaced.

"A new dynasty has been established, and the old dynasty shall perish."

"But today's court assembly, with the remnants of the old dynasty's royal family, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong, makes me uneasy."

Liu Hong said slowly, "You don't need to worry about matters of the royal family. However, regarding the matter of being granted imperial honors, your Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion, although in the old dynasty, still has some prestige."

"Especially since you're family-oriented."

Liu Hong raised his hand, took a letter from the imperial desk, and handed it over: "This decree is addressed to the Duke of Ying. I wonder if you, a young man from the Gu family, would be willing to accept it and go to the border on my behalf?"

"Are you happy to do this?!"

How can a subject refuse the emperor's sacred words?

Therefore, Gu Tingyu did not hesitate at all and immediately said, "Your humble servant obeys."

The words have already been spoken.

As Gu Tingyu leaned forward, his heart suddenly sank.

His frail body, exhausted from the long journey, will likely succumb to his illness before even reaching the border.

So, within the Gu family, who else can shoulder this heavy responsibility?

In that instant, a familiar figure inevitably came to mind for Gu Tingyu.

His dear younger brother...