"You make me want to find you a brother-in-law who's a general! That way, you can roam freely in the Great Zhou! You'll feel like you have a brother-in-law on all sides!" Gu Sixiao said.

"No need, Fifth Sister, just find me a smart and talented brother-in-law. We need someone who is both scholarly and martial, right? He can't be too one-dimensional!" Gu Ren said seriously.

If someone who has written so many novels can't see Huo Junhao's feelings for Gu Si, then all his writing has been in vain.

"Oh... Gu Ren, are you saying that my eldest brother-in-law, second brother-in-law, and third brother-in-law are stupid and have no talent! I'm going to tell on them!" Gu Yingxue found Gu Ren's loophole and teased him.

"Tch, go ahead! Don't they know what level those three are at? They've been to school, but they're not as good as Brother Hao!" Gu Ren wasn't afraid at all!

Whenever his three brothers-in-law dared to bully him, he would hug his sisters and cry until they were annoyed by his crying.

The three girls all burst into laughter.

Gu Hui and Gu Nian, who were not far away, had also finished eating and came around from behind.

The Gu family siblings are missing Gu En.

In the Gu family, the most normal child is Gu En. He has been taken in by Gu Shouxin since he was ten years old, and Gu Shouxin has personally taught him everything, including academics.

Moreover, he admired Gu Shouxin, so he consciously learned Gu Shouxin's way of dealing with people and conducting himself in society.

He'll be seventeen after the New Year; he can't be so immature.

The Gu family was used to Gu En's behavior, so when the siblings came to the palace banquet, they all stayed together, and they didn't feel anything was wrong even though Gu En wasn't there.

"Have my beloved ministers finished eating?" Suddenly, the singing and dancing stopped, the emperor stood up, and asked when everyone looked at him.

"Just now, the sixth son of the Gu family made a bet with his sister. Speaking of bets, I've come up with a way for everyone to stay up all night on New Year's Eve," the Emperor continued, not waiting for a reply.

The ministers looked at the emperor with confusion, wondering what he meant.

"Your ministers have all worked hard this past year!" the emperor said, keeping the audience in suspense.

"It's no trouble at all, it's no trouble at all, it's our duty!" everyone said.

“In previous years, we’ve always just eaten, drunk, and watched singing and dancing. I always felt it was boring, and I feel I’ve let my beloved ministers down!” the emperor said sincerely.

The Empress Dowager sipped her tea leisurely. She couldn't even comment on this grandson. If she wanted to have fun openly, she had to drag her ministers along with her!

Oh well, the emperor has been quite diligent these past two years. Let him fool us during the New Year!

"Therefore, I have come up with a plan: let us, the emperor and his subjects, enjoy ourselves together! Are you all willing?" the emperor asked again.

"...Yes!" Did the ministers dare to say no?

Your Majesty, you've laid such a long groundwork, and now that it's the New Year, if we dare say we don't want to, you dare make us resign next year!

"Some time ago, I had a batch of mahjong sets and playing cards made. Do you, my beloved ministers, know what these are?" the emperor asked happily.

"Please enlighten us, Your Majesty!" The ministers wanted to give the emperor a chance to vent, so they insisted that they didn't know. If they did know, wouldn't the emperor be very embarrassed?

However, since the Emperor mentioned mahjong and cards, does that mean the Emperor intends to play cards together in the Hall of Supreme Harmony?

This, this, this...

"It's just a form of entertainment. I learned it from someone when I was in Kunzhou, and it's a lot of fun. I believe that once you all learn it, you'll definitely love it. Don't you all agree?" The emperor looked at his ministers with satisfaction.