After Gu Lingchen and the other man left, Emperor Yong'an looked at his third son and asked.
"I ask you, how should a ruler govern the world?"
Gu Lingxuan thought for a moment and said.
"Your subject believes that governing the country requires putting the people first, paying attention to their livelihood, reducing their burdens, and enabling them to live a peaceful and prosperous life."
"At the same time, we must strengthen national defense, resist foreign invasion, and safeguard national security. In addition, we must attach importance to education, cultivate talent, and improve the country's cultural quality. Finally, we must strengthen central authority and maintain national unity and stability."
"I'll ask you again..."
Emperor Yong'an then asked many questions about the memorials he had reviewed, and Gu Lingxuan answered them all fluently, offering suggestions that greatly pleased Emperor Yong'an.
He was somewhat surprised. He had always focused on cultivating Gu Lingchen, never expecting that Gu Lingxuan's talent was in no way inferior to Gu Lingchen's.
After asking the questions, he dismissed Gu Lingxuan and summoned Eunuch Luo, giving him instructions.
"Let's choose Consort Liu tonight! It seems that Xuan'er's birth mother will have to be changed to the Empress. I'd better go and sound out Consort Liu's opinion. I won't force her."
Inside the princess's mansion, when Liu Sisi brought Gu Lingchen back home, all of her older brothers had already returned, except for Liu Sixi.
The others are all in the capital, but Liu Sixi's whereabouts are uncertain, and no one knows where he is. Even if you wanted to use the magic pen to pick him up, you wouldn't know where to go.
The group was about to bow when Gu Lingchen stopped them. He walked up and knelt before Liu Dashi and Madam Wu.
Startled, Wu was about to have someone help him up, but he insisted that she finish speaking while kneeling.
"Uncle and Aunt, I have been in love with Sisi for many years, so many years that I don't even know how many years it has been. I think it was when I first fell in love that Sisi was the only one in my heart and eyes."
"Sisi was too young before, and she didn't want to get married, which I respected."
"Later, she had her own things to take care of and said she could only marry me after she finished taking care of those things, so I kept waiting for her."
"Finally, Sisi came of age, and she said there was nothing else going on."
“I hope my uncle and aunt will betroth Sisi to me. I swear that I will only have Sisi as my wife in this life and will not take any concubines. Furthermore, I have already proposed to my father that I give the position of crown prince to my third brother.”
"Uncle and Aunt, don't worry. If I don't become emperor, I won't need to marry so many women to consolidate my power. I only want Sisi."
"Please don't mind my age, Uncle and Aunt. I can't change my age, so I hope you will grant my request."
Liu Dashi and Wu Shi were so moved that they didn't know what to say, as they never expected that Gu Lingchen would give up the throne for their daughter.
Seeing his parents standing there dumbfounded, Liu Sifu went over and helped Gu Lingchen up.
"Your Highness, Sisi still has parents! You can't just come here to propose marriage; you'll probably have to go to the Luo residence as well!"
"Don't worry, elder brother. I will also go to the Luo family. As long as my uncle and aunt here agree, I will go to the Luo family to ask for your hand in marriage again."
"If they all agree, I will go back and have my father and mother prepare the betrothal gifts. I want Sisi to marry me in a grand and glorious way."
After Gu Lingchen finished speaking, he looked at Liu Sisi with deep affection. Although Liu Sisi was touched, he didn't say anything. He wanted to see what his parents' attitude was towards Gu Lingchen.
"Very well, Your Highness, I hope you can keep your word. Sisi is our only daughter."
“We don’t want her to suffer any hardship after marriage. Although you are His Highness the Crown Prince and a member of the royal family, if my daughter suffers any injustice after marrying you, I will risk my life to seek justice from you.”
"Father, what did you say? Are we brothers just for show? Do you think we'd make you risk your life for us?"
"Although you are now His Highness the Crown Prince, if you marry my sister, you will be my brother-in-law. If you treat my sister badly, it's not unreasonable for me, as her brother, to seek justice for her, is it?"
After Liu Si'an finished speaking, her brothers glared angrily at Gu Lingchen, as if to say, "Don't think I won't hit you just because you're the crown prince."
Gu Lingchen felt somewhat helpless at their behavior, but he didn't put on airs like a prince and immediately softened his tone.
"Fourth Brother, I promise that such a thing will not happen. If it does, brothers, beat me to death, and I will definitely not fight back."
Liu Sisi felt a warmth in her heart; it felt so good to be loved!
She also went over and joked with her brothers.
"Don't worry, brothers. He's too strong to bully me! I'm being nice by not bullying him."
"That's right, I don't have that ability yet!"
Gu Lingchen stood behind Liu Sisi, unusually displaying a sycophantic demeanor.
Just then, Liu Mingzhe woke up and saw his aunt return. He had also overheard the adults' conversation.
He ran to Gu Lingchen's side and said in a grown-up manner, "Uncle, you finally dare to ask my aunt for her hand in marriage. You're so slow! When I find a woman I love, I won't be like you! I'll ask for her right away if I like her."
His childish words caused a burst of laughter from the crowd, but he was immediately taken away by his mother.
Li Caiping scooped him up and told Gu Lingchen and the others to continue chatting before taking Liu Mingzhe back to her room for a talk.
Immediately, Liu Mingzhe's sobbing could be heard from inside the room.
"Waaah... Mother, I'll never do it again. I only heard it from my friends at school. I'll never talk nonsense again. I'll study hard with my uncle from now on. Please forgive me, Mother!"
Everyone couldn't help but chuckle again.
After watching Liu Mingzhe's antics, Madam Wu had the food brought out. She had prepared all the dishes herself that night.
The menu includes Dongpo pork, Kung Pao chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, Imperial Concubine chicken, braised prawns, braised fish, and more, all with appealing colors, aromas, and flavors that whet the appetite at first glance.
While eating, Gu Lingchen didn't forget to flatter his mother-in-law, "Auntie, your cooking is really good, even better than the imperial chefs in the palace."
"Your Highness is too kind. If you like it, I'll make it for you more often," Madam Wu replied.
“Auntie, you can just call me Chen’er from now on. There’s no need to keep calling me Your Highness the Crown Prince. It’s too formal. I’ll be your son-in-law soon. Besides, it won’t be long before I’m no longer the Crown Prince.”
After finishing the reunion dinner amidst laughter and joy, Gu Lingchen couldn't wait until tomorrow. He said a few words of farewell to Liu Dashi and Madam Wu, and then hurriedly took Liu Sisi to the Luo residence.
When Luo Kuanlong saw Gu Lingchen visiting his residence so late at night, he thought something had happened to Emperor Yong'an!
Unexpectedly, Gu Lingchen knelt down as soon as he arrived and repeated what he had said at the Princess's Mansion to Xia Wanwan and Luo Kuanlong.
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