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

Gu Mingli ground down his molars.

Fight!

"Your Majesty! I was observing the stars outside just now and discovered a tremendous secret! I wish to share it with you!"

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.

Even Liu An and Geng Zhi, who had been standing nearby, looked up in disbelief upon hearing this nonsense.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment.

It's clearly a cloudy day outside!

There's not even a moon, what kind of celestial phenomena are you observing at night?!

Do you think you're the Imperial Astronomical Bureau Chief?! Can't you come up with a more plausible excuse?!

Xiao Ye seemed surprised that Gu Mingli could come up with such an outrageous reason, and stared at him quietly for several seconds.

Then, he let out a muffled laugh.

"OK."

He stood up and took a long stride.

He walked nonchalantly into the bedroom separated by a screen, giving instructions without turning his head.

"Since there's such a huge secret, then let's keep it."

"Liu An, offer Lord Gu a seat and serve him some good tea."

"Let him slowly 'share' the enormous secret he discovered by observing the stars at night."

Upon hearing this, Gu Mingli breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if all the bones in his body had become lighter.

Steady!

Based on his past experience, Xiao Ye was most obedient when listening to his fantastical stories or modern management knowledge.

Basically, aside from frowning in thought, he would either tap his fingers on the table or nod.

So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he'll just sit here and ramble on for the remaining hour and a half.

Then you can simultaneously mimic Xiao Ye's nodding motion.

Thinking of this, Gu Mingli completely relaxed, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

He stood up, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the screen, and drawled ingratiatingly said:

"Your Majesty, I thank you..."

Before the words were finished, two servants outside the door huffed and puffed as they carried a steaming cypress bath tub across the threshold and went around to the back of the screen.

"Your Majesty, the hot water and perfume for your bath are ready. Please undress."

Gu Mingli's clasped hands froze in mid-air, his smile completely cracking into tiny fragments.

He looked up and, through the semi-transparent embroidered screen, saw Xiao Ye behind the screen raising his hands and decisively unbuckling his belt!

Holy crap!!!

Xiao Ye wants to take a bath?!

How am I supposed to get him to imitate that now?!

Today was absolutely insane!

Gu Mingli's brain completed a high-speed operation within 0.3 seconds.

Between "continuing to imitate Xiao Ye taking off his clothes" and "failing the mission and wearing a pink dress to perform the 'Flying Swan Dance'," he chose C!

"His Majesty!!"

Gu Mingli gritted his teeth and raised his voice three octaves:

"Tonight is dark and stormy, a werewolf in disguise, not a good time for a bath! Anyone who takes a bath tonight will revert to their primal nature and grow long hair all over their body!"

What a vicious curse.

The room fell silent.

Liu An's action of helping the emperor with his clothes stopped in mid-air.

Geng Zhi turned his head in disbelief to look at Gu Mingli's face, which was full of serious nonsense.

Behind the screen, Xiao Ye stopped halfway through undressing.

"...What did you say?"

Xiao Ye's voice came from behind the screen.

Gu Mingli forced himself to repeat, "I said, it's not advisable to bathe tonight. It's the day werewolves... transform. Those who bathe will revert to their ancestral nature and grow long hair."

Ughhhh~~~ That's just asking for trouble!

Using such deceptive words to frighten Xiao Ye!

He himself felt like he was talking in his sleep.

As a result, a helpless chuckle came from behind the screen.

Xiao Ye put his inner robe back on and came out from behind the screen.

He stood there, his long hair half-loose, his moon-white undergarment loosely draped over his body, looking at Gu Mingli with a complicated expression.

"Atavism? Werewolf transformation?"

"right!"

Gu Mingli remained unfazed.

"It is recorded in ancient books."

Which ancient book?

"The City of Vampires"

Xiao Ye: "..."

Gu Mingli: (◕ᴗ◕)

Finally, Xiao Ye turned to look at Liu An, who was still frozen in place.

"Let's remove the bathtub."

As if waking from a dream, Liu An quickly instructed the servants to carry the steaming hot bath tub out again.

Gu Mingli secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the shower was canceled, he still had to stay in the room for a full hour and a half for the progress bar to be full.

Xiao Ye walked back to the armchair and sat down, raising his chin.

"Since you won't take a bath, how about a foot soak? I've been traveling all day, and my legs are quite tired."

He looked at Gu Mingli, his tone very calm.

"You sit down too, let's soak together."

Gu Mingli was so moved that he almost knelt down and kowtowed.

Xiao Ye is so understanding!

He can imitate the action of soaking his feet!

Just sit still! It's like a miracle!

"Very well! My legs are also feeling sore! I'll accompany Your Majesty for a while."

A moment later, the two sat side by side in armchairs, with a small tea table between them.

Each foot is placed on a wooden bucket, with hot water covering their ankles.

Gu Mingli imitated Xiao Ye, leaning back in his chair and placing his hands on the armrests.

comfortable.

This foot-soaking posture is perfect for imitation.

The two of them sat motionless, the only difference being the expression on their faces.

Xiao Ye was truly relaxed, his brows and eyes were relaxed, and his breathing was long and even.

Gu Mingli pretended to relax, but kept glancing at the sitting angle of the person opposite him out of the corner of his eye.

The system progress bar started jumping.

78%...79%...80%...81%...

Xiao Ye closed his eyes and enjoyed the temperature of the hot water for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Liu An, Geng Zhi."

"Your subordinate is here."

"You may leave. Just wait outside. I have a few words with Mingli."

Liu An and Geng Zhi exchanged a glance and then swiftly withdrew.

The door closed, leaving only two people and two buckets of steaming water inside.

Gu Mingli's heart skipped a beat.

Xiao Ye dismissed everyone around him, which meant that what they were about to talk about was something that couldn't be heard by a third person.

The atmosphere subtly shifted.

Xiao Ye did not speak immediately.

He lowered his eyes, watching the steam rising from the water, as if he were considering something.

Gu Mingli waited a moment, then tentatively asked, "What would Your Majesty like to discuss with me?"

"No rush."

Xiao Ye picked up a cup from the coffee table and took a sip of warm tea.

Gu Mingli could only silently pick up his teacup and take a sip.

Progress bar: 90%.

The two of them just sat there without talking.

The room was quiet, with only the occasional soft ripple of water.

"reasonable."

"Um?"

Xiao Ye turned his head, his unfathomable eyes staring straight at Gu Mingli.

"You've been spying on me all day."

Gu Mingli's pupils trembled, and the hairs on his arms stood on end.

"minister……"

Xiao Ye didn't give him time to make up a lie, and continued:

"You even imitate my actions."

Gu Mingli's temples throbbed twice.

That's it, we've seen through everything.

All my pretense throughout the day was completely transparent in front of this person.

He now has only two choices.

Either keep talking nonsense and try to gloss over the whole thing with some ridiculous excuse.

Alternatively, you could tell part of the truth, albeit half-truthfully.

Given Xiao Ye's intelligence, the first path is basically a dead end.

This person has been observing him since morning; lying again will only make the other person more wary.

And the second path...

Gu Mingli's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

He decided to take the gamble.

He was betting that Xiao Ye trusted him enough to sustain the conversation.

"His Majesty."

Gu Mingli sat up straight.

"I do indeed have my own unavoidable difficulties."

"What's your predicament?"

"Your subject is completing a... spiritual practice."

Xiao Ye's eyebrows twitched.

Gu Mingli gritted his teeth and continued making things up.

"As I mentioned to Your Majesty before, I received guidance from an immortal when I was young. This immortal assigned me many lessons. Some of the lessons were... rather strange."

"For example, imitating me?"

"……right."

Xiao Ye didn't reply.

He simply turned his head and stared at Gu Mingli, his gaze deep.

Gu Mingli swallowed hard.

Xiao Ye wasn't stupid; he knew he couldn't fool Xiao Ye with his words.

But... he needs time to complete the task.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Gu Mingli guiltily looked away and turned his head away.

But Xiao Ye clearly wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Mingli, do you know Xitong?"

"Wh...what?!"

Gu Mingli felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head; his hands and feet instantly turned icy cold, and his face lost all color.

system?!

How did Xiao Ye know about the "system"?!