What was said unintentionally may have been taken to heart by the listener.
His Highness Prince Qi put down his teacup, his expression somewhat sorrowful, and slowly said, "I always knew that life in the northern frontier was tough, but I never imagined that my third brother was suffering so much. He never told us about these things while he was in the north, as if he never intended to come back."
When he got emotional, his voice paused several times.
King Qi was already handsome, and this made people want to comfort him.
Gu Baozhu wanted to risk being kicked out by the old lady several times to say something to comfort her, but in the end she held back.
Madam Gu lowered her head and sighed, her voice low and tinged with an unspeakable desolation.
"Your Highness, why bring it up again? It's all in the past."
Everything has passed—whether it was sadness, resentment, pain, or joy, happiness, it has all passed, and it will all pass.
His Highness Prince Qi lowered his head and remained silent.
Qin Yuan also suddenly realized something.
Yesterday's events are like yesterday's death; today's events are like today's birth.
We cannot control the past, yet we are always controlled by it.
It's all over now.
The past has become the present, but the heart cannot remain in the past.
The old lady's words sounded simple, but upon closer examination, they held profound meaning. Although she was referring to Prince Qi, they also stirred up a myriad of thoughts in Qin Yuan. Since her rebirth, how could she not be bound by her past life?
The most precious thing in a person's heart is the word "freedom".
Everyone in the room was lost in their own thoughts, and the atmosphere became somewhat stagnant.
The silence was suddenly broken by Gu Jinghui's icy voice.
“If you’re always like this, why would I talk to you? A man lives for his principles. A real man should stand tall and upright. Life and death are trivial matters. Why should I care about these petty things? As a descendant of the Marquis of Dingbei, it is more worthwhile to die for the country on the battlefield than to bring shame to our ancestors.”
King Qi was startled and looked up at Gu Jinghui, asking urgently, "So, Third Brother, you were prepared not to come back? How heartless you are! Even if you're not afraid of hurting us brothers and friends, aren't you afraid of hurting the Old Madam?"
“Yes,” Gu Jinghui said resolutely, “If I cannot drive the Yelü clan out of the northern frontier, I swear I will not return to the capital. I said this back then and people will only laugh at me, but it doesn’t matter. I have done it. Even if something happens to me, the Marquis’s mansion has my sixth brother’s lineage. Even if there is no one left, my Gu family will still have people. I can’t let my father and brothers shed blood in vain. There are life and death separations every day in the border city. Tears and sorrows are as light as a feather. Living and winning battles are what I care about. That’s how I’ve lived for the past ten years.”
His cold, stern face, sharp eyebrows, defiant nose, and chiseled features all exuded a righteous and awe-inspiring aura.
Looking at Lord Gu like this, a hint of admiration flashed in Qin Yuan's cold, star-like eyes.
"To live, be a hero; to die, be a ghost of valor"—this is the essence of the saying.
His Highness the Prince of Qi was clearly taken aback by this generosity and remained speechless for a long time.
Gu Baozhu forcefully suppressed the urge to clap her hands.
Madam Gu suddenly said, "You are not allowed to say these things anymore. The third son is back and has married. Let's live a peaceful life. From now on, there probably won't be any more wars. If we keep talking about these things, others will think we are taking credit for our achievements, which is not good."
Gu Jinghui nodded immediately and said respectfully, "Mother is right, I will remember."
King Qi also came to his senses.
"Now the court is planning to curb the military generals, and the peaceful days will be dominated by civil officials. The old lady is right. Third brother has fulfilled his wish. He should close the door and enjoy his life. They are tired of their peaceful and prosperous days. It is your turn to enjoy it."
Gu Jinghui said, "That's why I don't want to have much contact with you."
King Qi smiled bitterly: "Have I really fallen so low in the court? I am, after all, a legitimate prince."
Gu Jinghui said, "I'm not that kind of opportunistic person. Besides, since I returned to the court, I've been in charge of the camp outside the city and haven't really gotten involved in court affairs. I just don't like associating with you, you sesame dumpling. You're all talk and no action. A rough man like me will always suffer."
Lord Gu's words were so blunt that even the Prince of Qi couldn't answer.
Madam Gu laughed and said, "The third son really has some self-awareness. When it comes to scheming and cunning, he is indeed lacking. Back then, when so many of you were playing together, he didn't learn anything. It shows that the saying 'one is influenced by one's company' is not entirely true."
King Qi felt extremely wronged.
"The old lady used to dote on me too. Does she only dote on my third brother now? Third brother's words are a complete disregard for my sincerity and are truly hurtful."
Gu Jinghui laughed and said, "Know yourself and know your enemy and you will win every battle. I know my weaknesses and your strengths. I think it's best to just hang up the white flag."
King Qi sneered, "So you're just going to make me keep putting my face on your cold backside, always avoiding me and giving me the cold shoulder?"
Gu Jinghui said, "Otherwise what? Even so, I still couldn't escape the schemes of your brothers. I haven't even left an heir yet. I have no intention of getting involved in your royal family's affairs."
"What do you mean by that?"
Gu Jinghui mumbled, "I'll tell you later."
Clearly, they felt this wasn't the place to talk.
Gu Baozhu regretfully withdrew her ears, which she had just pricked up.
King Qi gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, saying, "I don't care. If others can scheme against you, why can't I?"
There's no trace of its former tranquil beauty left.
Gu Baozhu was stunned.
Qin Yuan found it amusing; the relationship between the two was quite complicated.
The Prince of Qi stopped speaking to Gu Jinghui and turned to Qin Yuan, saying, "Third Sister-in-law, let me be frank. I know you want to buy pepper. Recently, because the Chief Clerk of the Prince of Qi's residence kept inquiring about prices, the price of pepper went up, and you haven't bought any. Do you still want to stock up on it now?"
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Of course I still need it. The Chief Secretary of the Qi Prince's Mansion did this, which made the price of pepper drop even faster. It was unintentionally helping me. However, I am not satisfied with the price yet. I plan to wait for it to drop further before buying."
King Qi said, "I dare not ask what Third Sister-in-law wants to buy pepper for, but I can try to help her lower the price of pepper."
Qin Yuan asked, "What does Your Highness Prince Qi need me to do?"
King Qi nodded and praised, "Let's not beat around the bush. Third Sister-in-law is a straightforward person. As I said before, I have been searching for a rare fragrance that has a long-lasting and subtle aroma that can last for a long time."
Qin Yuan said, "I've heard that many incenses can achieve this level of quality. Could it be that the incense Your Highness is looking for has some other unique properties?"
King Qi said, “That is indeed the case. If the fragrance is unique, we can always find a way to recreate it. But this fragrance is not just for burning; it is also a medicinal fragrance.”
After saying that, he stared at Qin Yuan.
Qin Yuan raised her eyebrows and said, "Oh? I can also blend a little medicinal incense. I wonder what its effects are that made the Prince of Qi search all over the capital for rare fragrances?"
Her eager expression made the King of Qi somewhat unsure of what to do.
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