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

Four shadow guards plus Yi Shi, making five people.

Yi Shi gave him a brief introduction.

The four are named Er Yi, Er Er, Er San, and Er Si.

They were all elite troops personally trained by Commander Geng Zhi.

Gu Mingli looked at them one by one.

The four faces are all different, but their expressions are highly consistent.

They all have facial paralysis.

He turned to ask Yi Shi, somewhat uneasy.

"Are they all still mentally sound?"

Yi Shi nodded.

"Don't worry, young master. None of them have been seriously injured."

"Aside from loyalty, he has no other flaws."

Gu Mingli nodded somewhat nervously.

"Alright then... shall we head back to the manor?"

The five people silently spread out, forming a fan shape to protect him on his sides and behind him.

Gu Mingli walked ahead, feeling the wind blowing through his clothes.

This entourage looks just like a gangster boss going out on the street.

Outside the palace gates, the carriage bumped its way back to the Gu residence.

At the gate of the mansion, Old Wang was squatting on the threshold, shelling peanuts.

Looking up, I saw five men in black escorting the Gu family's carriage back.

He was so startled that his hand trembled, and peanut shells scattered all over the ground.

"The...Young Master?"

Gu Mingli got off the carriage and waved his hand.

"It's nothing, don't make a fuss."

After saying that, he led five men in black through the gate and walked along the covered corridor towards the inner courtyard.

The maids and servants they encountered along the way all stopped and stared at them.

Some of the more timid maids shrank behind the pillars in the corridor.

Gu Mingli turned through the moon gate.

As soon as they reached the main courtyard, they saw Gu Debai peeking out of the study door.

He gasped when he saw the five shadow guards following behind his son.

The palm-leaf fan in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

"My son... come here."

Gu Mingli obediently followed to the door of the study.

Gu Debai grabbed his son's arm and dragged him into the study.

He closed the door behind him and asked in a low voice:

"You've been spotted by the emperor."

Gu Mingli thought his father was overthinking things.

"Father, it's not about keeping an eye on me. His Majesty said he's worried something might happen to me. Recently, there have been people from the Cui family keeping watch on me, so he's had them protect me."

Gu Debai pursed his lips slightly.

"Protect?"

He reached out and pressed down on Gu Mingli's shoulder.

"My son, you're favored now."

"But remember this: the emperor protects you because you are useful now."

"When he's useful, he treats you like a treasure; when he's no longer useful, he treats you like trash."

"Don't have too many unrealistic expectations, or you'll get carried away and lose your sense of self."

Gu Mingli listened, but he didn't think his father was exaggerating.

He understood the saying, "Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger."

Although he would tease Xiao Ye from time to time, he always knew the truth in his heart.

The man sitting on the dragon throne was never a merciful one.

He reached out and patted his father's hand.

"I know, Father. I understand."

Gu Debai stared at his son's face for a moment.

He nodded only after confirming that it wasn't just a perfunctory response.

"Go ahead. Go and rest."

Gu Mingli went out the door and led five shadow guards towards his east courtyard.

Gu Debai stood at the door of the study, watching his son's figure disappear behind the moon gate.

The fearful expression on his face disappeared.

All that remained in his eyes was calmness and shrewdness.

Very light footsteps came from behind.

A masked man in a smoky gray cloak emerged from a hidden door in the inner room of the study.

Gu Debai did not turn around.

He simply tilted his head slightly and raised his hand to wave his fingers.

"Have those guards protecting the young master withdraw first."

The masked man was taken aback.

Those were three groups of people that Gu Debai had arranged to secretly protect his son.

I've been with Gu Mingli since the first day he started his duties at the palace.

There are nine people in total, working in three shifts.

"Sir, do you trust that damned emperor?"

Gu Debai's eyes were deep and unfathomable as he picked up the palm-leaf fan and slowly began to wave it.

"Xiao Ye will not harm my son at present."

"With so many shadow guards he sent to protect us, it's easy for our people to be discovered."

The masked man bowed his head and replied, "Yes."

With a flash, he disappeared into the shadows under the corridor.

……

Night falls. Gu Mingli's East Courtyard.

Yi Shi stood guard at the door.

Four shadow guards stood guard at the four corners.

The courtyard was extremely quiet.

There were only the sounds of insects chirping and the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind.

When Gu Mingyue pushed open the courtyard gate and came in, she was so frightened by the scene that she took a half step back.

Four sharp, piercing gazes locked onto her the moment she entered the courtyard.

If it weren't for Yi Wu, who was also dressed in black, accompanying her, she would have thought that assassins had come to her brother's yard for a team-building activity.

Yi Wu, expressionless, gave the four shadow guards a signature hand gesture.

Consider it as having exchanged greetings.

Then, openly and honestly, under the probing gazes of his four colleagues, he escorted the young lady into the young master's bedroom.

"elder brother."

When Gu Mingyue entered the room, Gu Mingli was still hunched over his desk, biting his pen and busy drawing architectural plans.

She pulled up a round stool and sat down.

Just as I was about to speak, I caught a glimpse of the half-open window out of the corner of my eye.

And a dark shadow flashed past the window.

The four shadow guards in the courtyard had moved to different positions at some point.

They are currently gathered under the bedroom porch.

Including Yi Wu, who followed them in, and Yi Shi, who was already guarding the gate...

There were six men in black in total, looking just like six Black Impermanence.

They lined up at the entrance to act as protectors.

Gu Mingyue felt a chill run down her spine.

She quickly got up, and like a thief, leaned close to Gu Mingli's ear, whispering a reminder:

"Brother! With so many 'human surveillance cameras' lurking in your yard, how are we supposed to whisper to each other?"

Gu Mingli then realized what was happening.

He put down his brush and turned to look out the window.

indeed.

These six people were highly skilled in martial arts, and their hearing was naturally extraordinary.

Although the Shadow Guards' duty was to protect him, the siblings' discussions always included the "mission".

What about the "spendthrift system balance settlement" and the "unconventional palace intrigue rewards"?

If the emperor's personal bodyguards heard this...

Who knows what kind of fabricated story will be written on the little note!

Gu Ming thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea.

"Wait for me a moment."

He pulled out a stack of cut-up thick paper from his toolbox.

That was something he made out of cardboard a couple of days ago when he had nothing to do.

"Ten."

"Yes, young master!"

"All of you, come here."

So the six shadow guards gathered in front of Gu Mingli, waiting for his orders.

Gu Mingli mysteriously pulled out the production film, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

"I'll teach you a game."

……

After an incense stick has burned.

Under the corridor at the bedroom door.

Six top-tier shadow guards, dressed in black, sat cross-legged in a circle on the ground.

Each of them held a handful of cards and played with great enthusiasm.

"One against three."

"Go for it! Two of you."

"A royal flush!"

"..."