Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Back at the inn, Gu Mingli's arms were still sore.

After rowing for half an hour and dragging the emperor for half a street, he felt that his arm no longer belonged to him.

Gu Mingyue walked beside him, glancing sideways at her brother's right hand, which he had swung for the third time.

"Brother, is your arm alright?"

Gu Mingli grimaced, "Hiss, I can't lift it anymore."

Gu Mingyue scoffed and went over to massage her brother's arm.

The inn had prepared bathing water for the guests well in advance.

Gu Mingli went back to his room, took a shower, and changed into dry clothes.

dong dong dong.

There was a knock on the door.

"elder brother."

After quickly finishing her tidying up, Gu Mingyue went to check on the progress of the task with her brother.

Gu Mingli wiped the water droplets off his neck with a handkerchief and casually opened the door.

His sister slipped into the house sideways and closed the door behind her.

"Brother, regarding the [Peach Blossom Slash], did your system give you any notifications?"

Gu Mingli blinked and glanced at the Barbie pink interface.

It was clean and dry, with nothing at all.

"That's strange, it shows that it's not finished yet."

Gu Mingyue frowned.

"Logically speaking, since we ruined the Pei family's drowning incident during the Dragon Boat Festival, the mission should have been completed."

Gu Mingli brought up the system interface and looked at it.

The task description section is still lying there quietly.

[Completion Status: Incomplete]

Gu Mingyue frowned in thought.

"The Pei family has prepared a backup plan?"

Gu Mingli tossed the cloth in his hand onto the table, sat down, and poured his sister a cup of cold tea.

"Maybe we'll have to wait until it's completely over today. After all, the Dragon Boat Festival lasts all day, not just in the morning."

Gu Mingyue didn't speak, her lips pursed into a thin line.

It seems we can't relax.

On the river that morning, the Pei family's young lady indeed failed to establish any connection with the emperor.

That means the Pei family still has a backup plan.

Boom boom boom!

There was another knock on the door from the outside.

A young eunuch came to deliver a message.

After saying that the Second Master had finished washing up, he asked the Young Master if he had any other plans.

Gu Mingli and Gu Mingyue exchanged a glance.

"Don't worry, let's stay vigilant and adapt to the situation."

"I'll go upstairs and make arrangements for Jiaojiao first. I'll take her to see the newly built water conservancy project this afternoon."

"Let's stay away from Miss Pei today, since we're heading back to the capital tomorrow anyway."

Gu Mingyue nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you, just in case."

……

In the top-tier room.

Xiao Ye had changed into a dry bamboo-green brocade robe, with a matching dark-patterned belt around his waist, and new shoes that Gu Mingli had bought for him.

He looked refreshed and clean.

The dirty clothes that were taken off were taken to be washed by the inn's personal waiter.

Gu Mingli entered the room, having changed into a similar moon-white brocade robe, with a dragon-patterned jade pendant hanging prominently from his waist.

"Second Master, isn't your trip to inspect the section of the construction project I'm in charge of? Shall we go take a look this afternoon?"

Xiao Ye had just finished fastening his belt when he heard this, so he tilted his head and looked Gu Mingli up and down.

Finally, their gaze fell on the same pair of shoes Gu Mingli was wearing.

Liu An and Geng Zhi exchanged a glance, neither of them daring to utter a sound.

Lord Gu is getting bolder and bolder; now he even dares to wear the same shoes as His Majesty!

Tsk tsk tsk! They don't understand the rules! They have no manners! They don't know their place!

However, the emperor only glanced at it before looking away.

"Hmm, let's go take a look. I heard that the Pujitang pier is also nearby."

Gu Mingli paused for a moment.

The emperor even knew this?

He really is someone who loves to gossip!

"Yes, there was a dilapidated old dock there, abandoned after the flood. My sister bought it and spent money to renovate it."

Gu Mingli spoke in a relaxed tone.

"However, it hasn't started operating yet; it's just an empty plot of land."

Xiao Ye nodded. "Then let's go take a look together."

After lunch, the group set off in a horse-drawn carriage.

After the carriage swayed along the official road for about half an hour, it turned onto a newly paved cement road.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Ye leaned back on the soft cushions and closed his eyes to rest.

Xiao Jue sat opposite him, tapping his knee with a folding fan, and idly looking out the window.

Gu Mingli leaned against the car window and could see the outline of the river embankment in the distance.

He took over a job at the Ministry of Works.

They were stationed by the river for more than ninety days and nights.

He personally led a team to build a water conservancy project in an area of ​​the Suhuai River that was prone to flooding.

It can be considered one of his proudest works.

The carriage stopped on the embankment.

As Xiao Ye got out of the car, his brow twitched slightly the moment his foot touched the stone surface.

The descriptions you hear are far less impactful than what you see with your own eyes.

That place was built according to the method that Gu Mingli had described to him on the dragon bed.

The river is divided in two by using the "Fish Mouth" to divide the water, the "Flying Sand Weir" to discharge sand, and the "Bottle Neck" to control the flow.

The main river channel handles floodwaters, while the tributary canals draw water for irrigation, thus avoiding direct confrontation with floods while also benefiting farmland on both banks.

The fact that theoretical discussions had become reality was indeed somewhat unexpected for Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye glanced at Gu Mingli, his face revealing undisguised admiration.

Keep going.

A sloping retaining wall was built on the side facing the water, and dense turf was planted on the slope. The roots were embedded in the cracks of the rocks, so it could not be blown away by the wind or washed away by the water.

A lush green expanse blends seamlessly with the distant wheat fields.

Xiao Jue followed behind, fanning himself with a folding fan. His gaze swept over the grass on the embankment, and he paused for a moment.

"This method is ingenious, using grass roots to stabilize the slope. Usually, when the Ministry of Works repairs dikes, they only know how to pile up stones and earth."

He closed his fan and turned to look at Gu Mingli.

"Lord Gu seems to know quite a lot."

Gu Mingli puffed out his chest proudly, but said nonchalantly:

"I only have a basic understanding."

Xiao Jue chuckled and didn't press the matter further.

He could already foresee the excuse of being an "immortal".

Xiao Ye looked at it for a moment.

He nodded in satisfaction, "This project is well done; it deserves a reward."

Gu Mingli stood beside him with his arms crossed, looking very proud.

"Without the floods, the people here can live and work in peace and contentment."

[Ding~ Xiao Ye's favorability towards you +5, current favorability -513]

Gu Mingli's eyes lit up.

Look! Huang Jiaojiao admires him again!

University professors' sense of pride has surged.

Using his knowledge to benefit the people is a reflection of his life's value.

Xiao Ye smiled faintly as he looked at his smug expression.

I never imagined that a corrupt official could raise a son who had the world at heart.

"Let's go see the dock."

Gu Mingli led the way, and the others followed.

Gu Mingyue followed at the back of the group, her heart pounding.

She didn't initially intend to run a dock.

That's just because her brother's project was short of money.

She simply found a pretext to redirect tens of thousands of taels of silver that her father had embezzled back to the project.

Most importantly, at that time, the King of Qi sent Yi Wu and Yi Shi to keep an eye on her and her brother.

So she deliberately used the rhetoric of running a dock.

In fact, she never paid any attention to the dock after it was built.

They haven't even started operating yet; it's obvious they're just throwing money at it.

The group walked along the riverbank for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick before a newly built dock appeared ahead.

The dock was large and well-maintained.

Thirty stone-built berths were arranged along the riverbank, with a stone pillar next to each berth for mooring boats, the pillar tops carved with simple cloud patterns.

A row of wooden sheds was erected on the shore, with thick tarpaulins on the roofs. The space under the sheds was empty, with only some ropes and bamboo poles piled up.

At the entrance to the pier stands a wooden sign that reads "Pujitang Pier". The lettering is still fresh, and the faint smell of paint wafts over.

But the entire dock was deserted.

There were no boats, no cargo, only a few men whom Wen Yanzhi had arranged to guard the site, squatting under the shed eating sunflower seeds.

Seeing a group of people approaching, several waiters quickly stepped forward to bow to Gu Mingyue.

"Boss!"

Gu Mingyue looked at the few people and the empty dock in front of her and breathed a long sigh of relief.

Thankfully, I finally found a project that hasn't started making money yet.

A waiter stepped forward with a smile and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Boss, when will our dock open? We've already received inquiries from over a hundred merchants and shipping companies. They've already paid deposits for berths and cargo space."

Gu Mingyue: "..."