"Your Majesty, this servant is here!" Eunuch Gui pushed open the door and entered, responding respectfully.
"How are the preparations for selecting a consort for the Crown Prince going?" the Emperor asked while reviewing memorials.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready. We are just waiting for Your Majesty and the Crown Prince to review it," Eunuch Gui replied.
"Send the portrait to the East Palace first, and let the Crown Prince see it before making a decision."
"yes."
"Tell the people in the Eastern Palace that the Crown Prince has returned and that he must come to see me immediately."
"As you command." Eunuch Gui withdrew.
...
Qiao Qiu brought Dongfang Wuye to Fang Sheng Inn.
As soon as the shopkeeper saw Qiao Qiu, he immediately came out from behind the counter and greeted her with a smile, "Your Highness has arrived. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly. I have failed to greet Your Highness."
Qiao Qiu nodded slightly and pointed at Dongfang Wuye with her fan, saying, "He is my younger brother. From now on, his meals will be charged to my account. I will send someone to settle the bill once a month. Do you have any objections?"
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "His Highness is a man of his word and never oppresses us common people. You can pay on credit as you like, and it doesn't matter if you settle your bill once a year. Since Your Highness has come, I will naturally treat you as an honored guest."
"Your Majesty, you mustn't. I'll come myself, and I'll use my own money." Dongfang Wuye refused, not wanting to rely on Dongfang Wuche for everything.
“I am your elder brother, and in some ways, your master. The food here is a gesture of affection from an elder brother to his younger brother, and from a master to his disciple. If you really feel guilty, you can always bring it back from another inn later. As for me, I’m not picky; the Zuiying Inn on East Street will do.” Qiao Qiu smiled gently, but in reality, she was calculating. The food at Zuiying Inn was indeed delicious, but it wasn’t Dongfang Wuche’s, and every time she ate there, it cost her a lot of money.
Dongfang Wuye's lips twitched. He had heard of the famous Zuiying Inn, but if he really became emperor in the future, would he be afraid of not having enough money to treat Dongfang Wuche to a meal?
"good."
Qiao Qiu's lips curled into a smile, and her folding fan snapped onto her palm. "Manager, prepare a private room."
"Yes, waiter, take our distinguished guest to the private room with the carved wooden carving."
"Here we go!"
A busy waiter in the lobby called out and ran over with a smile, inviting Qiao Qiu and Dongfang Wuye to a private room.
The two sat down in a private room, and the waiter served them tea and gave Qiao Qiu the menu first.
Qiao Qiu ordered a few dishes, and then gave the menu to Dongfang Wuye.
Qiao Qiu switched to a modern way of ordering food here, simply using a pen to mark the dishes she wanted.
Dongfang Wuye rarely eats out, and since he thought it was a popular trend, he didn't say anything. He ordered two dishes just like Qiao Qiu had ordered, and then handed them to the waiter.
"Another pot of aged Shaoxing wine, please," Qiao Qiu said.
"Alright, please wait a moment, sir." The waiter greeted him with a smile, then turned and trotted out.
There were many waiters in the inn, but they were still a bit too busy. Seeing how thriving the business was, Dongfang Wuye couldn't help but sigh, "I really envy them. They live so freely, and the rewards are within their grasp."
"Everyone has their difficult times. How do you know they haven't had their share of hardships? Sometimes, if you dare to look at others with an equal eye, you'll discover many things you've never noticed before," Qiao Qiu said calmly, sipping her tea.
"Is this why my brother is able to do so many unexpected things?" Dongfang Wuye recalled what Dongfang Wuche had done in the past, and looking at it through the lens of the methods he had taught him, he found that these things were actually quite ordinary.
For example, the third princess who got married was initially out of favor because her mother was banished to the cold palace.
No one cared about her except her brother, who would protect her regardless of what others thought.
If Dongfang Wuye used to think that Dongfang Wuche was just acting on a whim, now Dongfang Wuye felt that in Dongfang Wuche's eyes, she was his sister, a sister who needed his care and protection.
So, did Dongfang Wuche only treat him as a younger brother?
"Wu Ye, I promised Wu Sheng that if he defeats you, I will help him ascend the throne. You'd better work hard," Qiao Qiu said.
"What?" Dongfang Wuye was stunned. He was no match for his second brother. Did his eldest brother know what he was doing?
Qiao Qiu smiled slightly, put the cup aside, and raised her hand with the ring on it. "What do you see on my hand?"
Dongfang Wuye held his breath slightly. Dongfang Wuche's fingers were long and fair, with distinct knuckles. There was not a speck of dirt under his nails. They were trimmed very neatly, neither too long nor too short, which was perfect.
There's nothing there.
Dongfang Wuye indeed saw nothing. Dongfang Wuche's hands were so clean they were almost unbelievable, without a single hair on them.
"Watch," Qiao Qiu said with a smile.
As soon as she finished speaking, a green jade hairpin appeared out of thin air in her hand.
With the appearance of this jade hairpin, Dongfang Wuye's long, black hair cascaded down, becoming loose and flowing.
Dongfang Wuye was startled, his clear and beautiful eyes showing surprise. "How did you do that?" He hadn't felt Qiao Qiu move at all, and he had no idea how his hairpin ended up in Qiao Qiu's hands.
"Brother, are you a deity?"
In Dongfang Wuye's mind, only this one possibility remained.
“We share the same father, how could I possibly be a deity? This is just a magic trick. As long as your hands are fast enough, there’s nothing you can’t do.” Qiao Qiu stood up, walked behind Dongfang Wuye, and grabbed his hair. “I think you might look better with a different hairstyle. Don’t move, let me try it.”
"Oh." Dongfang Wuye's heart began to pound again. If he hadn't had time to be angry when his hairpin was taken away earlier, now he simply didn't know what anger was. Only one thought occupied his mind: his imperial brother had actually combed his hair and even styled it himself!
It felt incredibly comfortable when those long, slender hands slipped into his hair; the warmth of his fingers seemed to linger on his hair, making him feel comforted.
Then Dongfang Wuye started to get nervous again. His hair hadn't been washed all day; would it be too oily? Would his elder brother not like it?
In fact, Dongfang Wuye was completely overthinking it. His hair was soft and clean, even better than a woman's hair, and felt like silk to the touch.
Qiao Qiu was very skillful, and her hair-tying technique was proficient. In addition, the hairstyle was very simple, and she finished tying it in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Her dark hair was half-tied up, the upper half tied into an oval shape with a light blue ribbon that was almost white, hanging down the back of her head. Qiao Qiu had deliberately tied the knot into a large bow, the kind that was barely noticeable, but still very pretty.
A green jade hairpin was inserted diagonally behind her head. Qiao Qiu added a smaller, light green to white hairpin, which looked like the finishing touch, much prettier than the hairpin alone.
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