After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

"Are you sure the late emperor has really passed away?" Rong Yingluo wanted a definite answer.

"How could this be fake? Of course it's true." Gu Ce thought Rong Yingluo must be possessed; how could something like this be fake?

At that time, the late emperor was fifty years old, which was considered a long life among emperors, and he was already terminally ill, beyond the reach of medicine.

"How is this possible?" Rong Yingluo was completely baffled.

Gu Ce was even more puzzled: "The late emperor passed away, and the current emperor ascended the throne fifteen years ago. What do you mean by that?"

At this moment, Rong Yingluo couldn't reveal that her master looked exactly like the late emperor; that would be terrifying.

"It's nothing, I just misunderstood for a moment," Rong Yingluo replied casually.

No wonder the master is invited by some high-ranking officials to see patients, or wears a mask or has special patterns painted on his face when performing rituals on important occasions.

No, she had to write a letter to her master and find out what was going on.

Rong Yingluo circled the statue of the late emperor twice more. It really looked so much like him; even brothers couldn't resemble him this much.

No, she and her sister look very alike; even the servants in the house can't tell them apart.

Every time she reunited with her family, she wore a mask. However, when she was little, she would occasionally take it off, put on her sister's clothes, and impersonate her sister to deceive the servants in the house. She never gave herself away.

Could it be that Master and the late Emperor were twins? That's impossible, absolutely impossible.

The world is full of wonders, and it's probably just a coincidence that the two look alike.

Rong Yingluo shook her head vigorously, trying to shake the thought out of her head.

Let's just consider it a coincidence.

Seeing that she was unwilling to say more, Gu Ce stopped asking and took her to see all the places in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

After lunch, the emperor and empress returned to the palace, and the royal sacrificial ceremony on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month officially came to an end.

Gu Ce didn't need to accompany her to the palace; he prepared to board Rong Yingluo's carriage.

But they were stopped in front of the carriage.

Gu Ce was quite surprised to see that the person who stopped him was Li Xuanye, the heir of the Liao King, whom he had never met before.

"Lord Gu, may I invite you to a teahouse for a chat?" Li Xuanye smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

But his gaze inadvertently drifted to the carriage. Unfortunately, the curtain blocked his view, preventing him from seeing Rong Yingluo inside.

"What is it, Prince of Liao? Please speak frankly." Gu Ce did not want to accept the invitation, and the two were not familiar with each other, having only met twice.

The Crown Prince of Liao has been recuperating in his residence since arriving in the capital, supposedly due to poisoning. The imperial physicians visit the Liao Prince's villa every now and then, but he has not been cured after so long.

His purpose in going to Beijing was to act as a hostage.

Since the third Liao king ascended the throne, either the old Liao king or the crown prince has been in the capital, a practice that continues to this day.

Few people in the capital befriended him.

"I just want to make friends with Prince Gu," Li Xuanye said directly.

Rong Yingluo lifted the curtain slightly and saw that it was Li Xuanye, so she knew what his purpose was.

I want to find an opportunity to get to know her openly.

She had warned him not to reveal that he knew her, and he immediately made up an excuse.

"Husband, it's still early. Since someone has invited us, why don't we go to the teahouse? I haven't heard a storyteller perform in a long time," Rong Yingluo offered as an excuse.

Gu Ce glanced at Rong Yingluo, then at Li Xuanye.

They had been married for a month and a day, and he had never taken her out of the house. Every time they went out, she went by herself.

Since she wants to go to the teahouse, then let her go.

"Since the Prince of Liao has such intentions, then I shall respectfully comply." Gu Ce bowed.

In terms of status, the heir of the Prince of Liao is naturally of higher status than the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Li Xuanye smiled after receiving approval.

Two carriages arrived one after the other at a teahouse called Guanliulou.

Behind the teahouse is a small river, with rows of willow trees planted on both sides, making for a pleasant scene.

But it was already autumn, and the willow leaves were beginning to turn yellow and fall.

The group went to a private room on the second floor.

Li Xuanye actually pulled out a chair for Rong Yingluo: "Madam Gu, please sit down. This seat offers a good view of the storyteller's performance downstairs."

Gu Ce's eyes sharpened.

What does this kid mean? He's trying to steal his business.

Li Xuanye then consciously moved to the other side, facing Rong Yingluo.

Gu Ce felt he was being too sensitive, shook his head slightly, and sat down next to Rong Yingluo.

Li Xuanye took the initiative to order a pot of Maojian tea and some snacks.

The waiter brought it over quickly.

Rong Yingluo didn't eat much at noon, but she unceremoniously picked up a piece of hibiscus cake and enjoyed it.

"It tastes really good." Rong Yingluo's expression of enjoyment brought smiles to the faces of both men.

"If Mrs. Gu likes it, please eat more." Before Gu Ce could speak, Li Xuanye spoke first.

Gu Ce paused in his tea-serving hand.

This time, he clearly sensed that Li Xuanye was trying to curry favor with his wife: "Did you know each other before?"

"We don't know each other," Rong Yingluo and Li Xuanye said in unison.

Gu Ce took a sip of tea and put it down: "Prince Liao, let's not beat around the bush. What business do you have with me?"

"I just want to make friends," Li Xuanye said, repeating the same thing.

Gu Ce curled his lips and leaned back: "Crown Prince of Liao, but I don't intend to be your friend. You are a military general, and I am a civil official. You are probably aware of the conflicts between the two factions in the court. So I'll take your words as if they never happened."

If you really have something to say, just say it directly; there's no need to beat around the bush.

"Haha, Lord Gu is indeed a straightforward person." Li Xuanye poured hot water for Gu Ce. "I've been in the capital for a year now, and I'm bored with nothing to do every day. I want to find something to do."

My father is forty-three years old this year, and it will be two more years before he passes the throne to me.

So I'd like to ask Lord Gu for a favor: could you put in a good word for me with the Emperor and get me a job to pass the time?

Li Xuanye got straight to the point and stated his purpose.

Gu Ce is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, so it would be most appropriate to ask him for help.

Rong Yingluo raised an eyebrow. Did this guy have that much confidence in her?

She hasn't even taken his pulse yet, and she already knows she can detoxify him? Is she looking for trouble?

"Can your body handle the job?" Gu Ce asked with some disdain.

"I have found a renowned doctor, and the poison in my body will be cured soon." Li Xuanye glanced at Rong Yingluo almost imperceptibly.

The movement was very light, but Gu Ce still managed to catch it.

Did the Crown Prince of Liao find out that his wife was a doctor?

Even he himself hadn't found out when she learned medicine. How did this kid manage to do it?

No wonder I invited him to the teahouse.

When did Ke Rong agree to give him the antidote? Didn't they just say they didn't know each other?

But now is not the time to talk about that.

"What do you want to do?" Gu Ce asked.

"I only need to be a gofer for Lord Gu. I hope Lord Gu won't find it offensive." Li Xuanye adopted a very humble attitude.

After parting ways with Rong Yingluo at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, he thought a lot.

How could he have more interaction with her? Only through Gu Ce.

The only way is to befriend Gu Ce, so that you'll have more opportunities to meet the young Taoist priest.

She wanted to know if Gu Ce treated her well. And whether their relationship as husband and wife was deep.

If Gu Ce treats her badly, he can help her leave Gu Ce.

She was a free spirit, and marriage was not a necessity for her. If she was unhappy, he was willing to go through fire and water for her.

The enchanting scenes in his dreams almost drove him to madness, but he knew there was nothing he could do.

After talking to her and leaving, he really wanted to laugh out loud. He had seen her. The young Taoist priest who had saved his life, the little girl who had changed his destiny.

It's a pity she got married.

But it doesn't matter, just seeing her is a blessing.

"Crown Prince of Liao, are you joking?" Gu Ce didn't expect him to say something so self-degrading.