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

Gu Mingli was stunned.

Not only him, but a rustling sound instantly filled the entire hall.

All eyes turned to Gu Debai, who was standing at the front.

This powerful Right Chancellor only ever did two things in court:

One is to blindly follow the emperor's will;

Secondly, they found all sorts of ways to line their own pockets.

Who in the entire court didn't know that he was a cunning old fox who only cared about profit?

When have I ever seen him take on such a thankless and arduous disaster relief task?

On the dragon throne, a cold glint appeared in Xiao Ye's eyes.

Gu Debai's sudden volunteering today was indeed beyond his expectations.

"Is the Right Chancellor's statement true?" Xiao Ye's voice was unreadable.

Gu Debai bowed slightly, his round face still bearing his usual amiable smile.

"I have spent many years in the north and am quite familiar with the local customs and culture. Now that the locust plague is raging, I am willing to go there personally to share Your Majesty's burdens and alleviate your suffering."

Xiao Ye scrutinized him for a moment, his fingertips lightly stroking the armrest of the dragon throne, but he did not immediately agree.

"The Right Chancellor is very thoughtful; a decision will be made tomorrow."

……

Night falls at the Gu residence.

Dinner was served on a round table, and the dishes were plentiful.

Braised pork knuckle, steamed sea bass, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and Gu Debai's favorite crab meat lion's head meatballs are placed in the very center.

Gu Mingli and Gu Mingyue sat opposite Gu Debai, but barely touched their chopsticks.

The candlelight flickered occasionally, making a soft "crackling" sound.

Gu Mingyue was the first to break the silence.

She gently placed the chopsticks on the chopstick rest and stared intently at her father.

"Father, disaster relief in the north is a tough job, why did you take it?"

Gu Debai picked up a lion's head meatball and put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly.

He slowly raised his head only after swallowing it completely.

That face, which always greeted outsiders with a smile and appeared worldly and sophisticated, had somehow shed all its pretense at that moment.

A heavy sense of melancholy welled up in his eyes.

"Anyang County was the hardest hit by this locust plague..."

Gu Debai put down his chopsticks, lowered his gaze, and stared intently at the reflection of the clear soup on the table.

"That's where my father served as county magistrate twenty years ago."

He let out a long sigh, as if savoring a long-forgotten bitterness.

Then he chuckled softly, "That's also the place where your mother... lived with your father for the longest time."

The spacious hall fell silent instantly.

Gu Mingli and Gu Mingyue exchanged a glance, somewhat surprised.

The two of them put down their bowls and chopsticks at the same time, sat up straight, and listened quietly.

Gu Debai picked up the wine cup and ran his fingertips along the delicate rim.

His eyes shimmered with a deep, unforgettable longing.

"The courtyard was actually very small, just three dilapidated, drafty tile-roofed houses. There was a pomegranate tree planted in front of the door..."

His voice was very gentle.

It was less like he was speaking to his children and more like he was talking to himself.

"Your mother was heavily pregnant when she was carrying your brother."

"Every evening, I would take a small stool and sit under the pomegranate tree, stitching shoe soles for you, one stitch at a time..."

As Gu Mingyue listened, her throat tightened involuntarily.

A lot of questions popped into my mind in an instant.

She wanted to know how her mother died back then.

I want to ask my father what he has been planning all these years.

I'd like to ask even more, where exactly is that enormous sum of 800 million taels of stolen silver hidden?

But when her gaze fell on her father's hands, all the words stuck in her throat.

Gu Debai looked down at the wine in his hand.

The hand holding the wine cup had knuckles that had turned white from excessive force.

This powerful minister, who wielded immense influence in the imperial court, was struggling to control the rage and grief that threatened to overwhelm him at any moment.

Gu Mingyue couldn't bear it.

She lowered her eyelashes and closed her mouth.

Gu Debai raised his wrist, tilted his head back, and gulped down the wine in one go.

With a "bang," the wine cup was slammed heavily onto the table.

"Alright, alright."

He casually wiped the corner of his mouth, and a gentle, fatherly smile returned to his face.

"My father has an emotional attachment to that land in the north and wants to see the old people and old scenes."

"Don't worry, Dad is going to deliver food and visit the disaster victims, not to fight a war. He's perfectly safe."

Gu Mingli felt somewhat heavy-hearted upon hearing about his mother's situation.

I shoveled a mouthful of rice down my head, only to find the grains so dry and hard that they were hard to swallow.

His father thought it was just a simple disaster relief effort.

However, in the "Future Headlines" that can glimpse the future, it is clearly written that his father will rise up in rebellion in a fit of anger during this period.

If his father really does go to the north alone for disaster relief this time...

The consequences would be unimaginable!

Gu Mingli looked up and met Gu Mingyue's gaze.

The brother and sister exchanged a glance.

We absolutely cannot let Dad go up north alone! I have to go with him!

"cough."

Gu Ming cleared his throat and put down his chopsticks.

"Father, I'll go with you this time."

"As you know, I have recently come across a lot of useful information in the ancient books of the Ministry of Works."

"Among them are methods for controlling locust plagues, which will come in handy. I'm worried about you traveling such a long distance alone."

"Dad, I want to go too!"

Gu Mingyue followed without hesitation, her tone even more forceful.

"My brother and I also want to go and see... the place where Mother used to live."

As long as the brother and sister stick close to their father and the family stays together, they can always use family affection to dissolve the hostility.

This idea of ​​rebellion can most likely be suppressed!

Gu Debai's voice trembled slightly as he listened to his children's words.

He quickly lowered his head, using the act of refilling the wine to hide the stinging in his eyes, and nodded with a smile:

"Good, good! My son and daughter have been raised well; they know how to care for their father. This is a blessing that others can only dream of."

Having said that, he tilted his head back and downed another glass of wine, then sighed:

"His Majesty said in court today that the matter of disaster relief will be decided tomorrow. Since you two insist on coming along, then I will go and ask the Emperor for instructions again tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Gu Mingli quickly made a mental calculation.

Should we send our father to ask for permission? What if the emperor refuses?

You might as well go yourself!

After all, he usually had a lot of contact with the emperor.

If it really comes down to bargaining, communicating with Huang Jiaojiao herself is obviously much more flexible than her father forcibly asking for permission.

"Father, this is such a small matter, why should you trouble yourself?"

Gu Mingli chuckled and took over the conversation.

"I'm going to the Imperial Study tomorrow to report on my duties at the Ministry of Works, and I'll also take the opportunity to consult with His Majesty. You can just wait for news at home."

"That works too."

Gu Debai smiled and patted his son's shoulder, his eyes full of affection.

"If it's approved, we'll set off in a couple of days. Perfect timing, Dad will take you back to our old house up north for a few days."

……

At the same time.

The imperial study in the deep palace was brightly lit by candlelight.

A Dragon Scale Guard dressed in a dark-patterned flying fish robe stood in the hall, reporting the intelligence gathered during their clandestine investigation to the emperor behind the dragon desk.

"Your Majesty, the second squad of Dragon Scale Guards has returned to the capital."

"We discovered a secluded city outside the bandit trails of the North, a city that is not under the jurisdiction of any country."