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

Chapter 81: Tricking the Emperor Out of the Palace

Gu Mingli's brows furrowed into a deep knot.

This is a very important matter, and we really need to think about it carefully.

He planned to enter the palace first the next day to find out the emperor's preferences.

The next morning, Gu Mingli changed into his official robes and went to the palace to report on the flood situation as required.

As luck would have it, as he passed under the corridor of the Imperial Hospital, he bumped into Xue Ren walking towards him.

"Oh dear! Physician Xue!"

Gu Mingli's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

He had long heard that Physician Xue had been supporting his sister in Powa Lane lately, doing her a tremendous favor.

He, as the older brother, hasn't thanked them in person yet.

Now that we've met, we naturally have to hurry up and exchange pleasantries.

"Is Physician Xue busy right now?"

Xue Rengang had just come out of the Imperial Study after taking a patient's pulse. He was wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, looking helpless and exhausted.

Hearing someone call his name, he looked up.

"Oh, it's Editor Gu. Are you back again to report to His Majesty on the flood control situation in Jiangzhou?"

"Exactly."

Gu Mingli smiled and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"I was just on my way to the Imperial Study to see His Majesty. It just so happens that I've run into you."

Upon hearing this, Xue Ren paused, immediately lowered his voice, and shook his head with a sigh, offering his advice:

"Lord Gu, you must be very careful with your words when you see His Majesty today. It's best to only report good news and not bad news."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"These past few days have been unbearably hot and humid, and Your Majesty is quite irritable."

"I haven't been able to eat or drink for several days in a row."

The old physician Xue lowered his voice and cautiously reminded him.

"The delicacies that the imperial kitchen served up were almost always returned untouched."

"Let alone the Imperial Kitchen, even the ice cream that His Majesty personally delivered yesterday was only eaten by His Majesty after a couple of small bites before he found it too greasy."

Gu Mingli frowned, sensing something was wrong.

"Your Majesty, is it... an upset stomach and poor appetite?"

Xue Ren stroked his graying beard, squinted his eyes, and muttered to himself with an air of composure:

"In my opinion, it is not a stomach or intestinal ailment."

"Perhaps His Majesty has been too diligent in his duties lately. He spends all day at his desk, reviewing memorials from morning till night, without even having time to move."

"This person, sitting for too long will cause depression, and being tired for too long will naturally lead to poor blood circulation."

"Without any energy or blood being used up, even the most exquisite delicacies would taste bland and unappetizing."

"I just advised Your Majesty to temporarily set aside state affairs and take a stroll in the Imperial Garden to clear your mind."

"Who knows if His Majesty listened or not."

Gu Mingli's heart skipped a beat, and he accurately grasped the core point of the passage. His eyes lit up instantly.

"You mean, His Majesty isn't actually ill, but rather... lacking physical activity?"

Xue Ren nodded in deep agreement: "That's exactly right."

Night falls in the side room of the Gu residence.

Gu Mingli sat down face-to-face with his sister at the desk.

The glow of the oil lamp cast long shadows of the two people.

They are taking stock of the "imperial intelligence" they have gathered today.

After listening to her brother's account, Gu Mingyue rested her chin on her hand and pondered for a moment. Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through her mind.

"Brother, according to you, what if His Majesty were to eat... hot pot?"

Gu Mingli slapped his thigh and nodded vigorously.

"Absolutely feasible! No complicated base ingredients are needed; just use a clear broth from an old Beijing copper pot as a base, and simmer pork bones to make a rich stock!"

"We have fresh mushrooms, top-quality lamb, tender tofu, and fresh seasonal vegetables. There's absolutely no problem with the ingredients."

"The key is that while hot pot has a low barrier to entry, it's all about creating a great atmosphere and offering a unique experience!"

"The slices of meat were scalded in boiling water, sizzling and steaming. The emperor, who ate cold dishes and warm food every day, had certainly never seen such a barbaric and primitive way of eating!"

Gu Mingyue's eyes lit up as she calmly added to her analysis.

"Moreover, the soul of hot pot lies in the dipping sauce. We can make and grind sesame paste fresh at home, along with minced garlic, chopped green onions, authentic sesame oil, and aged vinegar."

"Da Yong has all these seasonings. A bite of mutton soaked in sesame sauce...who could stop?"

Listening to his sister's description, Gu Mingli swallowed hard.

But soon, the light in his eyes dimmed again, and he fell into deep thought.

"The idea is good. But inviting the emperor to eat hot pot in the deep palace is far too difficult to do."

"Do you think the imperial kitchen is a place where just anyone can walk in and set up a cooking stall?"

"Even once you're inside, the table is covered with a copper pot, charcoal fire, and slices of raw, bloody mutton."

"Those eunuchs and guards in charge of security would be the first to throw me into the imperial prison!"

"Even if they let me serve it, by the time the imperial chefs test it for poison with silver needles and go through all the procedures, the beef bone broth in the pot will have long since cooled down and formed a crust of fat. What's the point of cooking meat then?"

The room fell silent immediately.

The plan seemed to have reached a dead end; the oil lamp flame made a soft "pop" and flickered twice.

Gu Mingyue slowly raised her head, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

"Since there are too many rules in the palace and we can't eat there, then... let's not eat in the palace."

"Didn't Physician Xue say that the Emperor needs to move around and expend his energy?!"

The brother and sister exchanged a glance and spoke in unison, perfectly in sync.

"We tricked the emperor into leaving the palace for hot pot!"

Gu Mingli already had an idea in his mind, and he stood up confidently.

"I want to design an immersive treasure hunt game."

Gu Mingyue looked at her brother, and her lips twitched.

"You want to play a murder mystery game with the emperor?"

"right!"

Gu Mingli was somewhat excited.

"Layer upon layer of clues were set up inside and outside the palace."

"Each time a puzzle is solved, a page of an 'ancient scroll' is obtained. If the content is interesting enough, it can entice the emperor all the way to the end."

"Where is the finish line?"

"Our home."

Gu Mingli pointed to the ground.

"Now that we've finished collecting the [Ancient Fragments], let's have a hot pot meal while we're at it."

Gu Mingyue raised an eyebrow.

I must say, this method is quite good.

"Brother, do you have any fragments of the scroll?"

"A fragment, huh..."

Gu Mingli frowned in thought.

Xiao Ye is a cunning and suspicious emperor with high intelligence and extensive experience.

Ordinary things simply don't catch his eye.

Gu Mingli frowned and thought for a long time.