Lantai Secret Language

The news that the Seventh Prince, Xiao Jingche, had personally visited Lu Qinglan to celebrate his birthday and had engaged in a "discussion" with her spread like wildfire within certain circles in the capital. The focus of discussion wasn't the birthday banquet itself, but rather the talent and insight displayed by the future Seventh Prince's consort, which far surpassed the bounds of boudoir.

Some people said that she was arrogant because of her talent and dared to discuss politics with the prince; others praised her for being the daughter of a Hanlin scholar and having a profound family background in learning; some even secretly speculated whether the Seventh Prince's move meant that he valued his wife very much, or even... relied on her?

Naturally, these rumors also reached Gu Zhao's ears.

After court dismissed that day, Gu Zhao did not return home directly. Instead, he strolled to the Hanlin Academy's library, the Lantai. With its vast collection of books and tranquil surroundings, it was a place where he would occasionally come to find obscure classics and meditate.

To his surprise, he saw a familiar and beautiful figure in the area where historical books were placed.

Lu Qinglan stood before a tall bookshelf, looking up, searching for something. She wore a simple, elegant light gray cloth dress, no makeup on, her long black hair loosely tied with a wooden hairpin, blending seamlessly into the tranquil, ancient atmosphere of Lantai. She stood on tiptoe, attempting to reach a volume of "Geographical Records" on the upper shelf, but her fingertips missed by a few inches.

A bony hand reached out from the side, easily took the heavy book down, and handed it to her.

"Miss Lu is also interested in this book?" Gu Zhao's voice was as gentle as usual, but there was a hint of subtle inquiry in his eyes.

Lu Qinglan seemed slightly startled. She turned sideways and saw that it was Gu Zhao. She bowed and said, "Minister Gu." She took the book and said calmly, "I have nothing to do, so I read some miscellaneous books. I made you smile when you saw me."

"'Yu Di Ji Sheng' records the dangerous mountains and rivers, local customs and people, and touches on the economy, people's livelihood, and military deployment. It is not a miscellaneous book." Gu Zhao smiled slightly, his eyes sweeping over the several volumes that were already opened in her hands - 'Salt and Iron Treatises', 'Water Classics Annotations', and even a copy of 'Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art' with severely worn edges.

These books are definitely not something that ordinary women would read.

"Prime Minister Gu is well-informed and knowledgeable." Lu Qinglan calmly closed the book in his hand and folded it up. His posture was calm, and he didn't seem to be panicked by someone discovering his secret. "It's just something I found in my father's study. I'm flipping through it casually without seeking to understand it in depth."

Gu Zhao ignored her modest words. He walked to the window, gazing at the lush, ancient cypress trees in the courtyard outside. He asked casually, "The other day, Your Highness had a conversation with Miss at Scholar Lu's birthday banquet. I heard that Miss's insights on the 'principle of sparseness and density' were extraordinary and truly admirable."

Lu Qinglan knew that he couldn't hide what happened that day, and he had no intention of covering it up completely. He simply said, "Your Highness has asked me, and I dare not refuse to answer. These are just some bookish theories and empty talk. I don't deserve such praise from Prime Minister Gu."

"Archaic talk?" Gu Zhao turned, his eyes clear and sharp. "Young lady, are you aware that the current debate in the court regarding follow-up flood relief and river repairs in the south is precisely about this? Those who advocate 'loosening' believe that we should focus on major issues and let go of minor ones, and restore people's livelihoods as soon as possible; those who advocate 'closed' believe that corruption must be thoroughly investigated and responsibilities clarified in order to prevent future troubles. Young lady, which one do you think should come first?"

This was a more specific and acute political problem than the one Xiao Jingche had asked that day, directly related to factional struggles and the actual distribution of interests.

Lu Qinglan raised her eyes and met Gu Zhao's scrutinizing gaze. She knew that the young prime minister was truly testing her, perhaps also trying to see if she represented the Lu family, or even the Seventh Prince.

She pondered for a moment, and instead of answering directly, she asked, "Qinglan, I'd like to ask Prime Minister Gu, if someone is hungry and seriously ill, would you first feed them porridge and rice to prolong their life, or give them acupuncture and medicine to cure the root of the disease?"

Gu Zhao's eyes flickered slightly: "According to Miss's opinion, what should we do?"

"Famine is urgent and must be dealt with without delay, and chronic illnesses must be eradicated." Lu Qinglan said in a steady voice, "Therefore, disaster relief grain should be like porridge and rice, distributed immediately and in sufficient quantities to the victims. This is the first priority, the 'discretion', aimed at saving lives and ensuring the safety of the people. However, the distribution process must be governed by laws, supervision, and accountability, to investigate corruption, clarify responsibilities, and plug loopholes. This is the second priority, the 'secrecy', aimed at long-term stability. Delaying relief to investigate corruption is putting the cart before the horse; if we only distribute grain without conducting a thorough investigation, corruption will continue and the disaster will be difficult to eradicate. The two must go hand in hand, but the timing and emphasis must be carefully considered by those in power."

She paused, then added, "This is like taking medicine: in an emergency, treat the symptoms; in a slow-paced manner, treat the root cause. Symptoms and root cause are not in opposition, but rather complement each other. The key is that those in power must always be clear about the differences between symptoms and root cause. The people are the foundation of the state, and the state is stable. Providing relief and resuscitation to the people is the root cause at this moment."

This speech put the dialectical relationship between "sparse" and "dense" into the specific dilemma of people's livelihood, pointed out the core of the problem, put forward feasible ideas, and finally pointed out the fundamental principle of "people-centered".

Gu Zhao listened quietly, his heart churning with emotion. He had been in the political arena for years, having seen countless boasters and many pragmatic and capable officials, but he had never seen a woman with such a clear and thorough understanding of state affairs, one who could transcend factional disputes and get to the heart of the matter! This insight, this composure, this heart rooted in the principle of "putting the people first" shocked even him, the current prime minister.

He remained silent for a long time, and only the unique scent of old ink from books lingered slowly in the air.

After a while, Gu Zhaofang let out a light breath, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Lu Qinglan had completely faded away from the previous scrutiny and inquiry, and turned into a pure admiration and solemnity for the talented person.

"Miss Lu... is truly a remarkable woman." He said this with great seriousness, "It is Jing Che's great fortune to have Miss Lu as his consort."

Lu Qinglan lowered her eyelashes slightly, hiding the coldness that flashed across her eyes. A blessing? In her previous life, she had also believed so, but in the end, it was only a cup of poisoned wine.

"Minister Gu, you are too kind. Qinglan was just talking nonsense. The important affairs of state will be decided by Your Majesty and your trusted ministers." She lowered her posture again, not wanting to go deeper into this topic.

Gu Zhao, a man of great stature, immediately noticed her momentary aloofness. Something in his heart stirred, as if he understood something. This Miss Lu, it seemed, wasn't as devoted to the Seventh Prince as outsiders seemed to believe.

He stopped asking questions and pointed to the annotated copy of the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art beside her, changing the subject: "Miss, are you also familiar with mathematics?"

"I have a basic understanding of it, and it will be needed to take care of household chores." Lu Qinglan replied. This was the reason that would least arouse suspicion.

Gu Zhao smiled, hinting, "Mathematics isn't limited to managing mundane affairs. Transport, customs duties, land, salaries, and even military supplies and fodder all rely on calculations. Those who master this art are also pillars of the court."

Lu Qinglan's heart moved, and he looked up at Gu Zhao. His words seemed to be a hint, as if he was hinting at something.

The two chatted for a few more words about irrelevant textual research, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed than before.

It was not until the sun set and the golden afterglow shone through the window lattice, casting beams of light in the dusty air, that Lu Qinglan said goodbye and left.

Gu Zhao stood there alone, looking at her back as she disappeared behind layers of bookshelves, his eyes deep.

He had originally thought that the Seventh Prince's marriage to the Lu family merely gave him a bit more prestige. Now, it seemed that Miss Lu herself was the biggest variable, perhaps even... the biggest help, or perhaps, the biggest threat.

She is like a seemingly simple but rare book that contains brilliant strategies. It makes people want to study it in depth, but they are also worried about touching secrets that should not be seen.

"Lu Qinglan..." He whispered the name, and the corners of his lips slowly curled up in an ambiguous arc.

It seems that this game of chess will become more interesting and more...dangerous because of this unexpected player.

And he doesn't seem to reject this challenge.